Police Advisory Commission Minutes 05-17-2006
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MINUTES
MONTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 7 p.m.
Members Present:
Dick Slais, Brad Fyle, Dave Gerads and Wayne Mayer.
Members Absent:
Jon Hoff
Others Present:
City Administrator, Rick Wolfsteller, and resident Christine Costillo,
Sheriff's Department Representatives: Sheriff Gary Miller, Todd
Hoffman, Dan Anselment and Mike Evans.
1. Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. and a quorum was present.
2. Approval of minutes of September 28. 2005 Police Commission meetin!!:.
WAYNE MAYER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
POLICE COMMISSION MEETING. BRADY FYLE SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
3.
Review of process used bv Sheriff's Department to notifv community of the presence of a
sex offender.
Sheriff Gary Miller reviewed with commission members the general process that is used by the
Sheriff's Department to notifY local community citizens and organizations when a registered
sex offender may be residing in the community. Sheriff Miller outlined the various levels of
sex offenders and noted that the most common classifications are levels one, two and three,
each having a different level of severity in their classification.
Sheriff Miller noted that the Minnesota Department of Corrections provides the classification of
each registered sex offender and then notifies the local police department if these individuals
are present in a community. For individuals classified as level one, the Sheriff's Department
may notifY the victims from previous incidents or the witnesses and other law enforcement
agencies in the area, but that was the extent of the notification process. For level two offenders,
the Sheriff's Department would also notifY establishments such as license day-care centers,
school facilities or other care facilities where a sex offender might find a victim. It was noted
that this is the limitation placed on the Sheriff's Department and that general public notification
is not allowed by their organization. For an individual identified as level three offender, the
Sheriff's Department has the authority to inform the entire community which can be done in a
number of ways, including a community meeting or by notifying local officials.
Resident, Christine Costillo discussed with commission members the idea of having a
community meeting that would provide general information to the public on the process that is
used to identifY registered sex offenders and how communities are notified of their presence.
She noted that recently there has been a number of rumors going through Monticello that
individuals may reside in our community and thought a public informational meeting would be
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a benefit to the citizens to understand how the process works.
Sheriff Miller agreed that a public meeting would be beneficial and expected a large turnout if
one could be established in the near future. Sheriff Miller noted he would provide information
to the public from their department on the procedures used but would also enlist the help of
representatives from the Department of Corrections who would be able to outline how they
classify sex offenders and also the process that is used according to the law. In addition,
representatives from the Wetterling Foundation would likely be in attendance and could provide
additional information on safety procedures that the public could use to identify and protect
their families from potential sex offender incidents.
Commission members supported the concept of a public meeting and suggested that the
Sheriff's Department contact the local school district officials to arrange an appropriate time
and location at a school facility for such a community meeting because of the larger attendance
expected. Sheriff Miller agreed that his department would coordinate and prepare a meeting
agenda and line up the appropriate representatives from the Department of Corrections and the
Wetterling Foundation.
4.
Consideration of recornmendinl!: to City Council for the installation of a temDorarv traffic
control sil!:U at the intersection of Fallon Avenue and School Boulevard until the CSAH 18
Overpass/Interchanl!:e Droiect traffic returns to normal.
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Commission members briefly reviewed with Sheriff's Department representatives the need for
additional traffic control measures along School Boulevard, especially at the intersection of
Fallon A venue because ofthe heavier traffic related to the interchange project. Although it was
noted that additional traffic is using School Boulevard as a detour route at this time, the
Sheriff's Department representatives did not feel there was necessarily any problems at the
Fallon Avenue intersection that would warrant additional traffic signs at this time. With the
end of the school year fast approaching, it was felt that placing a stop sign on School Boulevard
at Fallon A venue would not be necessary with the likelihood that interchange project will be
completed by fall of 2006.
As a result, it was the consensus of the commission not to request any additional traffic signage
along School Boulevard at this time.
5. Consideration of recommendation to City Council for removal of traffic lil!:ht at River
Street and Hil!:hwav 25.
Commission members discussed with Sheriff's Department representatives concerns about
traffic backups on Highway 25 because of the River Street signal. Sheriffs Department
representatives concurred with commission members that traffic flow problems are somewhat
hampered by the additional signal at River Street being close to the signal on Broadway and felt
that elimination of this signal would be an improvement to traffic flow along Highway 25.
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Both the Sheriff's Department and commission members recognized that if a signal was
eliminated at River Street and Highway 25, westbound traffic on River Street would likely have
to be terminated, as allowing any type of right-turn activity onto Highway 25 would be a safety
issue because of visibility. Commission members noted that if a signal was removed and a
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median extended across the intersection, leaving eastbound traffic on River Street having a
right-turn access onto Highway 25 could still be feasible because of better visibility in both
directions.
Assuming that MnDOT would be supportive of eliminating the traffic signal, commission
members consensus was to recommend to the City Council the elimination of the signals at
River Street and Highway 25 and to have an engineering review done as to whether limited
access is warranted from River Street to Highway 25.
6. Consideration of Sheriff DeDartment activity reDort.
Sheriff s Department representatives reviewed with commission members the quarterly report
of activity in Monticello for 2006 and also comparisons of calls for service for the year 2005
with other communities in Wright County. &heriffMiller noted that although calls for service
have increased over the last three or four yeats, the increase has not been as dramatic as our
population growth would seem to indicate and at this time, he did not feel additional manhours
above the 48 hours per day coverage is needed.
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Commission members noted that the number one concern expressed to commission members
related to traffic enforcement and felt that additional enforcement efforts along major routes
such as County Road 75 (Broadway) should be done by the Sheriffs Department, especially in
the early morning hours and also when individuals are returning home from work. Sherffs
Department noted that with the manpower currently available, they wouldn't have the ability to
spend a lot of time in the mornings with simply doing traffic enforcement and have more ability
to enforcement of speeding in the afternoon. If the City wanted to add additional hours to the
coverage, traffic enforcement could be a higher priority.
It was the general consensus of commission members that the City Council should consider
adding additional hours of coverage that could be earmarked for mainly traffic control
enforcement efforts. It was suggested by the Sheriff's Department that if an additional four
hours are budgeted for in 2007, they could wait until July 1" to utilize an additional full-time
officer for the balance of the year which would be equivalent to four hours per day.
In discussing the 2007 budget, it was also recommended that the budget include funding for a
traffic control radar trailer at an estimated cost of $7,500. With the City having its own radar
trailer, we would be able to place the device throughout the community as needed rather than
waiting for the use of a trailer from Wright County.
7.
Consideration of recommendation on Walt's Pawn ShOD license renewal.
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Commission members reviewed the status of violations that were occurring at Walt's Pawn
Shop especially in regards to reporting by the owner of confiscated items. Commission
members reviewed a report from Detective Dave Clemons ofthe Sheriffs Department who
monitors the pawn shops activities and noted that the main concern of the commission
members was the unresolved issues relating to Walt Pawn Shop not complying with all of the
confiscation notice requirements of the City's ordinance. Commission members requested that
the Sheriff s Department provide the committee with an update on a monthly basis on the
activities of the pawn shop as to whether they are complying with the city ordinance.
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No specific action was requested or recommended to the City Council at this time pending
further updates from the Sheriff's Department.
Miscellaneous Items:
Sheriffs Department noted that their office will be having a meeting with residents of the
Ridgemount Apartments to discuss recent incidents of theft in the area and invited any
commission members who wanted to attend to come to the May 31" meeting at 8 p.m.
8. Adiourn:
MOTION WAS MADE TO ADJOURN BY BRAD FYLE AND SECONDED BY DICK
SLAIS AT 8:45 P.M. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Recording Secretary