Police Advisory Commission Agenda 03-05-1997re
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AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION
Wednesday, March 5, 1997 - 7 p.m.
Members: Dave Gerads, Liz DesMarais, Brian Stumpf, Bridget Baldwin, Brad
Fyle
1. Call to order.
2. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting held February 5, 1997.
3. Consideration of proposing a designated snowmobile route through the city of
Monticello.
4. Adjournment.
C~
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MINUCES
REGULAR. MEETING - MONTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION
Wednesday, February 5, 1997 - 7 p.m.
Members Present: Liz DeMarais, L'rian Stumpf, Bridget Baldwin
Members Absent: David Gerads
Others Present: Chief Deputy Don Lindell; Sheriffs Deputies Dennis Compton,
Ken Antil, and Steve Quill; Rick Wolfsteller, City Administrator;
Wanda Kraemer, Development Services
1, f '
Minutes of the regular meeting held Wednesday, October 2, 1.996, were
approved as presented.
2. Consideration of sn~~~:mo6'1 or .n°n ^m nd enl and r m nd tbn
nn enforcement pro . do rrs rega tLing cnnwmob'1 ti~nti a.
Representatives of the Sheriffs Department opened the discussion noting
• that concerns from residents on snowmobile activities in all communities in
Wright County have increased this past year and that the situation in
Monticello was not unique in looking far additional enforcement or solutions
to snowmabiling activities. It was noted by Deputy Antil that the Sheriffs
Department is hoping to establish designated trail routes through all
communities in Wright County and to eventually be able to hand out
regulations that pertain to each community at various entrance points within
the commu~uties to advise snowmobilers of the rules and regulations. It was
noted that if Monticello could establish a route that was designated for
snowmobilers to use as a means of traveling through our community, the
Sheriffs Department believes the number of complaints would be reduced.
It's very possible that snowmobilers passing through Monticella do not know
where they can operate legally and, thus, this increases the potential for
citizen complaints.
Since Monticello is somewhat unique in that to enter Monticello from the
north, only one location is available to snowmobilers, and that is the
Highway 25 bridge, the City should look at establishing a designated route
from Highway 25 that would direct snowmobilers through Monticello and
across the other barrier, 1-94. Commission member Brian Stumpf suggested
that the obvious route would be to designate IJast River Street for
snowmobile traffic and then direct the trail to the County Ii,oad 118 overpass.
Page 1
Police Commission Minutes - 2/5/97
After further discussion by the commission, it was the consensus that a
westerly route would not necessarily be required and tl~aL people entering or
leaving Monticello should be directed along East River Street aver the
freeway at County Road 118 and then westerly to a point where the state
trail system could meet at the Orchard Raad overpass on I-94. This would
eliminate the necessity to create a route an West River Street, which could
minimize the cocx~plaints from local citizens.
Before a proposed route was presented to the City Council for approval, it
was suggested that a meeting be set up with the local snowmobile club,
Monticello Trail Blazers, clang with Sheriff s Department representatives to
get input from the clubs on the pros and cans of a selected route. If an
agreement can be reached by the Police Commission, CGounty Sheriffs
Department, and local snowmobile associations, the next step would be to
bring the proposed designated route to Lhe City Council for approval so that
the trail could be established by the next winter season, 1997-98. 'I"his would
provide ample time for proper signing by the local snowmobile clubs and to
allow the county trail system map to be updated to include this designated
route.
The meeting scheduled for discussing the possible route of the trail was set
for Wednesday, March 5, ].997.
3. •i n f r nm n~ f r m n '" ~ mmi •
Commission member Brian Stumpf noted that former Mayor Brad Fyle had
expressed an interest in #"illing the vacancy existing on the Police
Commission.
. It was the recommendation of the Police Commission that Lhe City Council be
asked to make the appointment of Mr. Fyle for the remaining 2-year term t;o
ex ire December 1998.
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Rick Wolfsteller
City Administrator
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Special Police Commission Agenda - 3/5/97
3, n f r i m it hr
the city of Monticello. (R.W.)
A EFE E E A D B K D:
At the previous meeting, Chief Deputy Don Lindell, along with Sheriffs
Deputies Dennis Compton, Ken Antil, and Steve Quill, outlined the County's
plan to hopefully have all communities in Wright County have a uniform
snowmobile ordinance and that established snowmobile routes are located in
each community. Along those lines, we had discussed the need to establish
and mar. k a route from the Highway 25 bridge to a point across I-94 that
could potentially help eliminate problems with snowmabilers finding their
own route through the community.
It was the consensus of the Commission members that the local Monticello
snowmobile club directors would be advised of our intent to discuss the
establishment of a route at a March 5 meeting and that they would be invited
to attend for their input. In addition, Sheriff s Department deputies will also
be in attendance to discuss our proposed route and advise on the feasibility of
the selected alternative.
At the previous meeting, the most obvious snowmobile route seemed to be
along East River Street to possibly Washington Street near the freeway and
then along a route to the County Road 118 bridge overpass. Although a route
could be determined. along River and Washington Streets, permission would
more than likely be needed from property owners adjacent to I-94 if that was
the route selected. At this point in time, 1 am not aware if any contact has
been made to the property owners that I believe are John Bondhus,
Dahlheimer Distributing, and St. Henry's Catholic Church. Possibly same
other route could accomplish the same goal of directing snowmobilers to
County Road ].1.8.
Since the snawm.abile season is soon to be winding down, I believe the goal of
the Police Commission would be to select a preferred route that has support
from the Sheriff s Department and snowmobile club officers that could be
presented to the City Council for ratification. If the trail system would cross
private property, we would need to obtain their approval before establishing
signs and markers. The intent would be to have in place a plan for
establishing this route by the 1997-9$ winter season and advertise/publicize
the route in advance of the first snowfall next year.
PP TI DATA:
None.
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