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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Services Minutes 3-19-18 Minutes City of Cottage Grove Public Services Commission/Council Meeting March 19, 2018 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Cottage Grove Public Services Commission Meeting was held on March 19, 2018. CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m. ROLL CALL Members Present: Campbell, Robert Dornsbach, Robert Ingram, Steve Podoll, Jeff Staloch, Peter Rediske, Lise Serpico, William Members Absent: Griffith, Kent Staff Present: Rinzel, Greg - Captain Taylor, Harry – Public Works Supervisor Redenius, Rick – Fire Chief Orloff, Gary – Street Foreman Others Present: Johnson, Wayne – Council Member Approval of Agenda Motion by Ingram and seconded by Dornsbach Approval of Minutes Motion by Dornsbach and seconded by Staloch to approve January 16, 2018 minutes. Open Forum Chad Borad – 9710 69th Street South – Borad explained to the Commission that the walking path on 70th street in front of Eastridge Estates is not plowed during the winter. Borad feels the increased housing in this area warrants a review of the current sidewalk plowing practices in this area. Without the path plowed it encourages residents to use the street to walk which becomes very dangerous. Ingram asked if this is a County road. Taylor responded yes. The Commission thanked Borad and requested this topic be discussed during Item 07.A. on the agenda. Presentations School Safety and Security, Captain Rinzel Captain Rinzel gave a presentation to the Commissioners regarding school safety and the readiness of our police force in the event of an active shooter. Rinzel explained that recently the PD has changed the way they respond to critical incidents in our schools. State Law requires a minimum of five school lock-down drills each year. Rinzel went over some school shooting which included: Westside Middle School Columbine High School Rocori High School Red Lake Senior High Hastings Middle School Rinzel went over police response in these situations and the new technology implemented to help save lives in the future. These included cameras with remote capabilities and mobile command units that plug into squad cars. Rinzel described an active shooter situation as a suspect whose activity is immediately causing death and serious bodily injury, the activity is not contained and there is immediate risk of death and serious injury to potential victims. The police priority of life in this situation is as follows: Lives of hostages Lives of innocent bystanders Lives of police officers Lives of the suspect The School priorities in this situation is as follows: Safety of the students, staff, and visitors Provide information to responding officers Allow police first responders to make contact The school will go into a modified lockdown if the threat is located outside of the school or a situation exists inside the building whenever people need to be kept away from a particular area. A full lockdown is when an intruder is inside of the building. Rinzel stated the Police Department is constantly reevaluating its policies and working with school resource officers and school staff. Johnson asked what is Rinzel’s advice if the public is in is involved in an active shooting. Rinzel responded to RUN – HIDE – FIGHT. In that order. Johnson asked if the policy follow the same policy if the active shooter is not at a school. Rinzel responded the guidelines are the same. Ingram asked in light of the recent Florida shooting should the community be careful when fire alarms are pulled that they are not walking into trouble. Redenius stated generally businesses do not test fire alarms while people are shopping. Use your best judgement. If there is smoke get out. Always have a plan with your family regarding where to go and where to meet. Always check your gut. If something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t. serpico asked if the schools are practicing drills for active shootings. Rinzel responded they practice from a staff standpoint. They have not included students in the drills. It is being discussed. Serpico asked if they have practiced active shooters at large events like a football game. Rinzel responded the district hires PD to be present at the football games but ultimately this is a situation that the community is responsible for themselves. Have a plan. Rediske asked if the PD has a way to track the mentally ill within the school and after graduation. Rinzel responded we have a threat assessment in place and the school that includes law enforcement, social services and the school. There are usually two things that trigger a negative behavior. When those two criteria are met the PD starts a threat assessment and meets with the school and family. Threat assessment started with domestic violence training. There were too many mental health cases that PD drove to the hospital that never received any help. PD is working to follow up with these cases and make sure people help. Staloch asked what does the State do if a troubled student moves out of the district. Rinzel stated this is an area that needs work because MN struggles with record management and there is no state wide database that is shared. New Business Snowmobile Ordinances and Regulation Overview Rinzel presented a map indicating where the snowmobile trail is located. Rinzel stated snowmobiles within the city are prohibited except upon a designated snowmobile trail system, upon a mayoral declaration of a snow emergency, when used by law enforcement, upon private land with permission of the owner, and upon the highway right-of-way. Snowmobiles may be operated on a public roadway (excluding Jamaica between E. Pt. Douglas and 70th) as long as the snowmobile is operated in a single file, operated on the extreme right hand curb line and under 30 mph. Campbell stated he feels the snowmobile trail that runs along the 70th street sliding hill is very dangerous. Rinzel replied that PD has more complaints regarding parking on 70th than snowmobilers. Serpico asked if the fencing has been removed from the 100th Street trail. Rinzel replied the fence was a site line violation and was removed. PD is working with the snowmobile club to make sure everyone is aware of where the public land is on 100th Street and to keep off of it. Serpico asked if you can ride on 100th. Rinzel stated it is an alternative but a poor one. Ingram directed the Commission back to the open forum and the resident that was concerned about the snowmobile trail on 70th. Ingram stated he is confused that Washington County redesigned 70th street in response to a death that occurred on the road and now we are telling residents we will not plow the path and they must walk in the street. Ingram feels this is unsafe and asked if this is part of the new portion. Rinzel replied yes and it is a county path. Rinzel added with the City growing we need to constantly be looking at what is best for the residents. We need to ask ourselves what is more important, snowmobilers or pedestrians. In previous years when there was no snow this wasn’t a concern. But now we have a winter that the snowmobilers can use the trails and it becomes a concern. Ingram asked if the path is large enough to accommodate both walkers and snowmobilers. Rinzel stated it is not wide enough and it would be unsafe to allow people to walk that close to snowmobilers. Johnson asked if because this is a county road it would be maintained by them. Taylor replied the City maintains many County paths in Cottage Grove including Hinton and Almar Village. If we want to allow pedestrians to walk this path the City would be responsible. The County will not maintain paths. Taylor added this snowmobile trail has been in our community before the developers have come in. It is no different on 100th. People are always biking and walking on an unsafe road when there is a path on 95th. Rediske stated the Commission needed to revisit this topic after Rinzel speaks to the snowmobile club. There are plans to make 70th street a 4 lane road in the future. Rediske has nothing against snowmobilers but feels we need to keep this street safe. Rinzel is confident the snowmobile club will work with the City and come to a reasonable alternative. Appoint Public Service Commission Chair Johnson asked the Commission for nominations for the Chair position. Ingram nominated Rediske. Staloch seconded the nomination. Staloch nominated Ingram to Vice-Chair. Rediske 2nd the nomination. Rediske is the Public Services Commission Chair and Ingram is the Public Services Commission Vice-Chair. . Old Business None Response to Previously Raised Commission Requests None Commission Comments and Requests None Staff Reports and Educational Material Police – Woolery Retirement Koerner Chief of Police Rinzel Public Services Liaison Animal ordinance is before Council Training McAllister and Martin going through assessments for Deputy Director position Sergeant position open Police and CSO openings 2 administration positions opening Computer and cell phone training being hosted by CG (saved $1600 for training) Citizen Academy cancelled (low enrollment) Fire – EMS – 494 Fire/Rescue - 38 Hiring 1 new FT Fire Staff New replacement ambulance has been ordered. Work on the Central Fire Station is nearing completion. Move in date end of March beginning of April. Members of the Fire division have started a peer group. They will meet once a month to talk about anything that someone may be dealing with in their lives whether it is work related or not. The peer group are not consolers but will direct members to proper help if needed. Public Works Plowing - still Pot holes Cut down 250 trees in Hamlet Park Fleet Department working on the sweepers and summer equipment Flushing will occur soon Sweeping April 9th (weather permitting) Well 12 Council Comments Johnson briefed the Commission on the following items Council has addressed: Olson donated $500 in Craig Woolery name Home Depot to be developed into a Homegoods store and TJ Max Volunteer banquet next month Eastbrook Development McDonalds closing for remodeling in the fall Commission Comments Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned at 9:01pm