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Police Advisory Commission Minutes 07-21-2010Police Advisory Commission Minutes: 7/21/10 MINUTES MONTICELLO POLICE ADVISORY Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 7 p.m., Academy Room Monticello Community Center Members Present: Brad Fyle, Brian Stumpf, and Jason Roubinek Members Absent: Leila McCarty Ex- Officio Representatives: Lt. Dan Anselment - Wright County Sheriffs Office Bruce Westby, City Engineer Others Present: Sergeant Butch Darsow — Wright County Sheriff s Office Nathan Miller, Wright County Court Services, Probation Officer Call to Order Commissioner Fyle called the meeting to order at 6:55 pm. It was noted that a quorum was present. He indicated that he might have to leave the meeting early and the Commission agreed to first consider the agenda items related to the vacant position appointment and Wright County Sheriffs Office budget recommendations to accommodate his schedule. 2. Approval of minutes of April 21, 2010 regular Police Advisory Commission meeting. COMMISSIONER STUMPF MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 21, 2010 REGULAR POLICE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING AS WRITTEN. COMMISSIONER ROUBINEK SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (3 -0). Consideration of adding items to the agenda. There were no added items. (Items # 5 and 6 were presented before agenda item #4 so that Commissioner Fyle could participate in the discussion of these items in case he had to leave the meeting early.) Consideration of recommending appointment of Charles Fradella to the Police Advisory Commission. Mr. Westby indicated that he'd posted the Police Advisory Commission position for two weeks on the City's website as well as on the Community Center bulletin board and had no responses. He had also contacted three prior applicants and found that only one of the applicants, Charles Fradella, was still interested in the appointment. As this applicant had Police Advisory Commission Minutes: 7/21/10 been interviewed in the past, the Commission agreed that it was unnecessary to re- interview him. COMMISSIONER ROUBINEK MADE A MOTION TO APPOINT CHARLES FRADELLA TO THE VACANT POLICE ADVISORY COMMISSION POSITION. COMMISSIONER STUMPF SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (3 -0). Mr. Westby noted that this appointment would likely be presented to the City Council for approval on August 9 "'. Commissioner Stumpf asked if Leila McCarty had indicated interest in continuing to participate in the commission as she had missed the last two meetings now. Mr. Westby had spoken to Commissioner McCarty before the meeting and learned that last minute work travel plans had prevented her attendance in both instances and that she does not believe she will miss many more, if any, future meetings due to work travel demands. Mr. Westby agreed to check back in with her prior to the next meeting to make sure her absences would not be an on -going issue. 6. Consideration of 2011 budget recommendations for Wright County Sheriff's Office. Mr. Westby asked the Commission to discuss the potential for reducing the number of law enforcement hours the Sheriff s Office would provide under contract to the City without negatively impacting the current level of service. Commissioner Fyle recommended reducing the number of law enforcement hours in 2011 by 5% and suggested that the Sheriffs Office figure out how to structure such a reduction in service. Commissioner Stumpf disagreed and stated that law enforcement hours shouldn't be cut due to the potential to reduce public safety. Lt. Anselment shared some information and presented law enforcement's perspective on this issue. Lt. Anselment noted that the overall number of calls for service had decreased in the past couple of years, but that it wouldn't be a good idea to make budget cuts based on short tern data. Commissioner Stumpf stated that there is still much enforcement to be done and that the visibility of Sheriffs Deputies in the community is important. Lt. Anselment pointed out that the current level of 52 hours per day seems to adequately address the law enforcement coverage needs in Monticello. There was discussion about how it would be difficult to reduce scheduled hours by a percentage since the contract deals with minimal increments of 4 -hour blocks. Lt. Anselment also noted that most other cities in Wright County were not planning to reduce their number of contract hours. He noted that Monticello is at 13.8 % of their levy for law enforcement services, while nearby communities with private Police Departments are at significantly higher percentages. Annandale is at 46 %, Howard Lake is at 48 %, and Big Lake (Sherburne County) is between 40 -50% of their levy. The statewide average is 44.92% of the levy. Police Advisory Commission Minutes: 7/21/10 Lt. Anselment noted that the average cost per citizen for law enforcement in Monticello is $33 per year. Commissioner Roubinek asked about the $1.50 pay increase included in the contract. Lt. Anselment stated that the rate was set last year in a 2 -year contract and would be negotiable through the County. Discussion focused on how it would be more responsible in times like these to maintain the current level of service at a lesser rate of pay than to take a pay increase and allow the level of service to potentially deteriorate. After further consideration, Commissioner Fyle agreed that it might be best to maintain the level of service hours for 2011. Mr. Westby stated that changes to the contract hours or rates need to be requested by August 15" per the contract. Lt. Anselment agreed to find out how to go about renegotiating the contract and report back to Mr. Westby, but he thought that the County was usually pretty flexible when considering such requests, even when submitted after the due date. COMMISSIONER ROUBINEK MADE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY MAINTAIN THE CURRENT NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE HOURS FOR 2011 AND TO RENEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT TO REFLECT THE 2010 RATE OF $57.50 WITH NO INCREASE FOR 2011. COMMISSIONER FYLE SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (3 -0). (After this agenda item, Commissioner Fyle left and Commissioner Stumpf chaired the rest of the meeting. He first welcomed a visitor to the meeting. Nathan Miller introduced himself and stated that he is a County Probation Officer working with juveniles. The meeting continued with agenda item 4.) 4. Wright County Sheriffs Office updates /Q &A Session. Lt. Anselment noted that it has been a fairly quiet summer despite the various juvenile crimes of opportunity such as playground equipment damage at Eastview Elementary and the small fire at the Magic Kingdom. The Sheriff's Office shifted some afternoon contract time to overnight undercover surveillance to obtain evidence about auto break - ins. They'd developed a pin map to identify the areas hit hardest by these crimes. Commissioner Stumpf pointed out that having the flexibility to try varied enforcement methods is the very reason that it is important not to cut their hours. Sheriff's Deputies have also been writing curfew citations in an effort to educate both the younger drivers and their parents. Lt. Anselment noted that the City Council's concerns regarding excessive noise from vehicles due to stereos, exhaust systems and jake - braking had been passed along to the State Patrol. Police Advisory Commission Minutes: 7/21/10 Lt. Anselment noted that there had been a concern about speeding along Broadway. He indicated that Public Works placed the speed trailer on Broadway in various areas in both directions of travel and determined that the majority of vehicles were maintaining an appropriate speed averaging 28 — 30 mph. Of the 183 vehicles that were monitored, only three were traveling at speeds in excess of 40 mph. These violators were issued tickets. Lt. Anselment also noted they did not observe any drivers ignoring STOP signs. NO FORMAL ACTION REQUIRED /TAKEN. Update on Sheriffs Deputies office relocation. Lt. Anselment reported that the Sheriff's Deputies are quite pleased with the move to the Prairie Center building. He noted that the City had provided the paint and that the deputies painted the office space. He stated that their staff continues to work on obtaining signage and that they plan to use a graphic similar to those used on the squad cars. He indicated that there is a private room for conducting interviews, as well as additional space to address other administrative needs. He pointed out that the office is not staffed 24 hours and that all emergencies should continue to be routed through 911. Commissioner Stumpf asked if the probation officer using the fire station for meetings with clients is aware of the option to conduct business instead at the new Sheriff's Office space. Lt. Anselment agreed to offer this option to Tom or Margaret. Mr. Westby confirmed that the Sheriff's Office had received the requested mapping from the Engineering Department on which to note recent incidents such as thefts and property damage. NO FORMAL ACTION REQUIRED /TAKEN. Update on TH 25 Emergency Vehicle Preemption systems. Lt. Anselment indicated that the Emergency Vehicle Preemption System (EVP) upgrades would not, unfortunately, be included in the Sheriff's Office budget for 2011 due to continuing tight budget concerns. He noted that such computer upgrades would cost between $8,000 and $9,000 dollars per squad car and suggested that, at this point, their deputies would just have to continue to slow down at signalized intersections to avoid an accident or speed up when following an ambulance or fire track through an intersection. One option mentioned briefly was to consider equipping all new squad cars with Opticon systems as vehicles are purchased, which typically totals 16 —17 vehicles per year. The goal is to eventually equip all 65 of their squad cars with such systems. Mr. Westby reported that Mn/DOT will be installing EVP systems on all signal systems on TH 25 through Monticello with their TH 25 pavement preservation project this fall. He also noted that Fire Chief Steve Joerg told him that all the Fire Department's vehicles are already equipped with EVP sensors so they won't need to budget for upgrades. Police Advisory Commission Minutes: 7/21/10 Discussion of added items. No items were added. Lt. Anselment noted his appreciation for the assistance received by Randy Habennan in working with the young adults who are serving community service, and for the work that Tom Moores does during RiverFest. 10. Schedule next meetinE. The next replar Police Advisory Commission meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, October 20th @ 7 PM. 11. Adlourn. MOTION WAS MADE TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER STUMPF. MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROUBINEK. MOTION WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY (2 -0) AT 7:30 PM. Bruce Westby, City Engineer-