Police Advisory Commission Minutes 02-17-1999
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MINLTES
QUARTERLY :'t'IEETI:"IG - MONTICELLO POLICE COM.:vIISSlON
\Vednesday, February 17, 1999-7p.m.
Members Present: Dave Gemds. Liz DesMarais, Brad Fyk, Brian Stumpf
Members Absent: DickSlais
Also Present: Chiei"Oeputy Don lindell, City Administrator Rick Wolfsteller
2. Consideration "relection of ()I'ticer~ and review ap+,ointments to adviSOr< L0mmiltec.
Commission members were advised that the City Council had recently appointed Dick
Slais to the vacanl\eml cxpiring December31,2000.
Chairperson DesMarais noted that she would like to step down as Chair for the coming
year.
A \-IOT10N WAS "lAD!:; BY BRAD FYLE. SECONDED BY BRIAN STUMPF, AND
UNANlIvlOUSL Y CARRIED TO APPOINT MR. DAVE GERADS AS CHAIR, BRIAN
STUMPF AS VICE CIIAJR. AND RICK WOLFSTELLER AS SECRETARY FOR TI-IE
UPCOMll'iG YEAR.
3.
Consideration ofa request to ~onJuct a !!peed limit stud>' On Ea~t County Road 39
(RiverviewDrivel.
Commis~ion members reviewed a letter from Me. and Mrs_ Donald \1eyer of 680
Riverview Dnve, who had requested that the speed limit along Eust County Road 39 be
lowered from the presenl45 mph speed limit to 40 mph between Cpunty Road 75 and
Gillard Avenue_ The City Council had asked the Police Commission to review the
rcqucstforarecommendalion for the COllncil to eonsider_
ChiefDcpmy Don Lindell noted that the County Sheriff's Department has available
equipment that can be setup in this area to analyze traffic patterns that are occurring,
induding developing data that will indicatethenLlmberofear~ thatpas~ through an area,
the speed of the vehicles, whether the vehicle5are trucks, cars, orpic kups,etc_,andabo
the speed limit they are traveling during various times llfthe day. It was Mr_ Lindell'~
sugge~tionthatthismightbeagoodareatohavethisequipmentsetupinthespring to
tjrst look at what is actually happening in the area for speed limits, a t what time of the
day, etc. This information could then be reviewed by the Police Commission in the
future to detcrmine whether further ~onsideration is warranted for possihly lowering the
speedlimiL
Commission member FyJe noted that although the area has seen increased development
in recent yeal'S, this area has always had the current speed limitof45 m ph and that only a
ti;.w <Idditional driveways have had access to County Road 39 in this area. Mr. Fyle was
Pagel
PoliceCol1lnJissionMinutes-2/17i99
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not yet convinced that reducing the speed limit in this area was \v arranted,buthedid
agree that the study proposed by the SheritTs Deparrment would be ben eticialasa
~tarring point.
It was the consensus of the cDlnmission members thut the County Sheriff conduct their
study in spring 1999to bring baek the infOlmationto the Police Com mission for further
analysis. In addition, it was suggestcd that lvlr. and Ivlrs. Mcycrbe notified of the Police
Commission's action to date.
4. StatusupdatefromSheritrsDepartmenlonhoursofeontraete<lv"ra~e.
Chief Deputy Lindell eXplained to the commission members that the COLUlty was
experiencingproblcms in the hiring of additional deputies to mcct thc dcm ands
throughoUlthc county. Bccausc of the lag time in training new candidates, Mr. Lindell
notcd that the additional 4 hours of coverage that had bcenanticipated b y the City has not
yet started, and Ollr coverage lS remaining at 24 hours per day_ 'YkLindellnotedthalillS
anticipated the addilional 4 hOllrs per Jay cowragewiIl start on Apnl 1 anJ thaI lhe
additionaI8h(>urs(>rc(>veragej~)rweekends,FridaysandSatL1Tdays,will alsob"
reinstated in ApriL In the meantime, the City has only bccn billed tor thc aetual number
of hours provided.
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Miscellaneous discussion.
Ylr. Lindell was asked by the commission on the County's policy regarding pickup and
transportation of animals to various dog pound facilities in Wright County. Mr. Lindell
noted that it is the County Sheriffs policy that animal control services, i ncluding
lransporlinglostdogsandcatstounimal~helters,hasnotbeentheirpriority and feel each
jurisdidiollshouldhaveanil1l<llconlrolotlicers!ortheseservices. The l)llestion had been
taised by a community thaI contracts wilh lhe Cily of Monticello for use oflbe City's
animal shelter tor housing <IS III whether or nO! any service was <lv<libble <lner normal
bll$ine8s hour~. In some cases, communities that contract with the City have their own
police departments who may transport animals to our shelter; but if the conllmmity
contracts with the Wright County Sheriffs Department, the County's policy is to not
provide this service.
Commission members also briefly discussed the City's public nuisance ordinaDce
regardiDg noise complaints and provided a copy to the COLUlty Sheriff lor review_
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BL'SI'<ESS. A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRIA." STUMPF.
SECONDED BY LIZ DESJ\.V\RAIS, AND UNA;-"-IMOUSL Y CARRIED TO ADJOuRN.
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City AdministralOr
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