Police Advisory Commission Minutes 07-21-1999
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i\HNl:TES
QUARTERLY MEETING - MONTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION
\Vednesday, July 21, 1999-7 p.m.
MembersPresenL
Liz DesMarais, Dave Geracis, Brian Stumpf, Dkk Slais
MemhersAhsent'
BnH1Fyle
AlsoPresenl:
Chief Depl1ly Don Lind~lI, City Administrator Rick \Volfstdlcr
3. Consideration of uDdate on request for speed limit stud~' un East Countv Road 39
fRiyerviewDrh'el,
ChicfDcputy Don Lindell informed the Commission that the Sherifrs Department had
attempted to complete a traffic study along East County Road 39 as rC'lllesled by the
Police Commission. Equipment \I5ed in the traffic study wasn'tl'unctioning properly and
the department was only able to get a vehicle ~Olmt, not record speed limits or types of
vehicles_ Deputy Lindell nOled lhat during two days in late June, 1999, traffic counts
indieatedapproximaldy5300-5600vehiekstraveledonthissectionofroad.
Deputy Lindell noled that the Sheriffs Department will again conduct a study to get
mOre aeCLlrate data on speed limits but he did note that the Sheriff Department deputies
that work in this area have llot cxperienced speeding 10 be n problem aJon gthi~sectionol'
road bm that spceding is more likely to occur once further out along Counly Road 39
It was a recommendation of the Commi~!;ion that the City send a !eUer to Mr. and Mrs.
Donald Meyer, who had requested the study, that the Police Department will continue to
moniWrlhelrafficpaUemsinthisareabutthattheydidnotfeelmthispoint thm speeding
wasanexce!;~iveproblem_
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Considcrationofdi~cussiol1forreviewinl!callsforse..\'iceandtimesuent bv the
dcputics within thc Monticello school ",,~tem,
Previously the Pulice Commi~~ion had noted that the Shcriffs Department felt an
increasing amount of hours were being spent by deputies in the Cityresp ondingtocalls
for service within thc school system. Chief Deputy Lindell noted that thi~ concern was
discusscd with Monticcllo school representatives last faJI to inform them that the City
ofMonticelloconlracl~fordepmiestoscrvieetheentireCityandnotjust the school
systemal1dthattheschool~houJdtrytoIimitthemunberofcaj]sforservice 10 the
Sheriffs Department in the future. The school administration was informed that a school
liaisonofticer should be considered if the school ~ystem expectspolicc presence in the
school on a frequent ba5i~_ Since the school ha5 declined to participate in that type ofa
program, the Sheriffs Department has been attempting to limit the amonnt of service
calls they are making at the schooL At this l;me, it doesn't appear that the calls are
excessive any more and that the first halfof 1999 has ShO"'ll uredllclio ninthe calls to
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the school system to about 4% of tile total c<llls made in the City. It was felt by Deputy
Lintlelllhallhl~ 1'; nol a pmb]~m allhe presenll;rne ami lhal lhe Police Commission
sh()lEldJu~lconlinue to monitor the situal;on.
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COlIsidcrlltiun ofrcyicwin!!: and rccommcndin!! contracth(lurs an d hudl!et for year
2000.
Comm]SSlO11 members reviewed the pre!;em budget and hour~ of service that total JG,636
hours al the present hourly rate of$36.75/hour lor a lol;ll budgdof $390,873. Forthe
year 1999, the City had approved an increase in the contract hours by 4 hours a day lO
bring our level ol'service 10 28 plus hours per day with the idea that th chourswouldhe
increasedfollrh()ursperyearunlilcoveragei~equaltotwofillllimepatrolmcnor48
hours daily coverage.
In continuing with this recommendation, the Commission recommended that the City
Council eonsidcradding ,madditional four hours per day or I040hou rannually to the
contract bringing the total hours contracted to I 1,676 hours. Although a contract fee has
not yet been established by the Wright County Commissioners, it is expected that the
armual hourly rate will increase from $36.75ihour to <lpproximately $38.50 ihour. At
S38.50ihour, the total police department budget WQuld increa~e to $449,526. It W<lS
recummended that the City staff include this amQllnt in the proposed budget li.,r Council
consideration.
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Discussion On Miscellaneuus Items.
Spccdim~ Concerns - Broadwav
Commis~ion members briefly diwllssed ~peeding concern.,; on \Vest Broadway and Chief
Deputy Don Lindell indicated that the mobile radar unit thai indicates vehicle speed
will be placed near Pinewood on We~t Broadway as <I reminder 10 motorist of their ,peed.
Discussion on Study eompannl! contraetin!!" -vs- City's own Doliee department
Commission members briefly reviewed a report that was completed in March of 1995
that compared lhe cost and bene filS of contracting with the Sheriffs Department -I'S-
establishing the eommlmity's OV,TI police department. At that time, the rcport indicated
it was substantially more eeonomieal to eontinlle with eontractinga slong as the eitizcns
were acceplable to service being provided.
In light of the fact that Commission member~ have not received complaints or requests to
~tartourownpolicedepartmentandduetothefac;tthattheinitialcosttocreate anew
department could be substantial, it was the consensus of the Commission members that
continuing to contract for police protection services would be best alt emative for the City.
It was also noted that it would no! be necessary to update the study at this time but would
cenainly would be rcviewcd in the futurc ifncccssary.
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PoliccCommissionMinules-7/21/99
Other DiScllssion Items
Chief Deputy Lindell noted to the Commission m~mbcrs Ihat the Sheriffs Department
has recently added an udditionallayerofadministralivesupervisionlotheirdepartment
by th~ addition ofnvo new lieutenants. These posilions will help the County in their
administrative functions and shouJdaIso be bencficJal to communiti esiikelvlonticeIlo
whocoutraclforscrvice.
AUDrfl\'al of Minutes ofFebruarv 17. 1999 meetinll:.
MOTIO:-.r WAS MADE BY DRJA1\' STUMPF, SECONDED BY DAVE GERADS AND
UNA:'-I[l\IOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE ylINUTES AS PRESENTED.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BuSINESS A MOno,," WAS MADE AND SECONDED TO
ADJOURN. MOTION CARRIED lJ]\."ANIMOUSL Y.
RickWolfsteller
City Administratof
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