HomeMy WebLinkAbout122018 PSC minutesCouncil Public Safety Committee
2nd Floor Conference Room
City Hall
December 20, 2018
3:00 p.m.
Members: Staff: Others:
Councilmember Gutierrez Cliff Moore, City Manager Luz Bazan Gutierrez
Councilmember White (alt) Gary Jones, Interim Police Chief Tony Coursey
Aaron Markham, Fire Chief
Brett Sheffield, Chief Engineer
Cynthia Martinez, City Prosecutor
Terri Croft, Police
Executive Minutes
Gutierrez called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. The meeting started with agenda item
2c — Yakima Domestic Violence response survey
1. November 15, 2018 minutes
It was MOVED by White and SECONDED by Gutierrez to accept the minutes as
presented. The minutes were approved unanimously.
2. Department reports
a. Fire Department
i. October/November fire activity report
Markham provided a monthly report of calls for service and fire
inspections.
Markham advised they had filled 2 fire investigator positions. These
employees have basic fire investigation training and will receive
additional training in 2019. Gutierrez asked how these firefighters
are backfilled when they are conducting an investigation. Markham
advised the company will stay with the investigator during the initial
investigation. If the initial investigation is prolonged and there are
other calls that require service, they will be backfilled.
Markham added that four cases were closed in October and
November and determined to not be arson.
ii. Arson
Markham noted that structure fires have been down. They have
been seeing lots of accidental fires. Investigation continues on the
previous arson fires.
b. Police Department
i. Community Policing Report
Jones briefly discussed community policing and how it is a very
broad topic. He will be making a presentation to council in January to
discuss the various aspects of community policing. He discussed the
selection process for the beat officer assignments and the
expectations for them.
Jones reviewed the various community outreach activities for the
months of November and December. He also discussed a Project
Safe Neighborhood partnership and will bring additional information
to the full council in January.
There was additional discussion about the placement of the beat
officers and a focus in 2019 on police redistricting.
White requested the police department have a presence at the Henry
Beauchamp Community Center Christmas event next year.
Gutierrez asked if there should be a study session after the police
presentation to Council, or if questions will be posed to Council as
part of the presentation. She would like to see the discussion
continued on how Council can assist in the community policing
process. Moore advised a study session could be requested after
the presentation.
White would like to see the Community Integration Committee
become part of the community policing efforts.
c. Legal
i. DV Response survey
Gutierrez explained that the committee had requested staff conduct a
survey of what resources the City of Yakima has to respond to
domestic violence to begin forming a community crisis response
team. Gutierrez asked what administrative changes can be made
without council policy changes to align Yakima's response with the
model response, and what would the costs be. Martinez advised the
formation of the CCRT would be something that could be
accomplished with little to no cost. Gutierrez also asked how staff
anticipated the new domestic violence advocate fitting into the
domestic violence response system. Martinez advised that she could
respond on behalf of the prosecutor's office, but that the position
would cross over many departments and agencies, each of which
would have a different role for the advocate to fill.
It was MOVED by Gutierrez and SECONDED by White to
recommend initiations of a CCRT to the full council in January.
Motion PASSED unanimously. Item will be on the January 15 council
reports.
d. Public Works
i. Safe Routes to Schools
Sheffield advised the bid for the Safe Routes to Schools project
around Garfield Elementary had been opened. Merino Construction
was the low bidder. They have also done the construction project
around Adams Elementary and other projects. They will start in mid-
June.
White asked about crosswalks or traffic calming in the area of Adams
elementary. There is a large span between markers on Fair Avenue
between Kiwanis Park and Race and a large population on the east
side of Fair trying to cross. Sheffield advised they could look into
options. Gutierrez also asked that Sheffield verify that the project
around the Yakima Hops area on 3rd Avenue was privately funded
and not paid from city funds.
Sheffield reviewed the process for prioritizing street improvement
projects. He advised that they try to conduct a pavement condition
index every two years. Roads that have the highest daily traffic and
are in the worst condition are prioritized higher. Gutierrez reminded
that at a previous meeting Councilmember White had requested a
matrix of the danger levels of different areas. She also requested
that a written report be provided each month as part of the meeting
packet.
White also requested information on the prioritization of tree removal
and if hazards associated with the trees are taken into account.
Moore advised that trees are dealt with when issues arise and an
arborist has evaluated the health of the tree to determine if removal is
necessary.
Moore asked Sheffield to provide the pavement condition index and
traffic count index for the January packet. Gutierrez requested a
TBD project schedule. Moore advised that a good deal of that
information will be presented to Council at the January 12 strategic
plan review meeting. Gutierrez clarified that she would like to see a
schedule of traffic calming and Safe Routes to Schools. Sheffield
advised that his department would be doing a capital improvement
project update at the February 5th Council meeting.
3. New Business
None
4. Other business
a. Public Safety Forum review discussion
Gutierrez briefly reviewed the notes of the latest public forum.
5. Recap of future agenda items
Recommendation for CCRT to full council
Pavement condition index and traffic count spreadsheet
6. Audience participation
Luz Bazan-Gutierrez discussed the need for additional lighting at the transit
center. She recommended community forums related to community policing
and regular community briefings to have a better exchange of information
between the community and the police.
Tony Coursey spoke to his support of the Safe Routes to Schools and
asked for a definition of stakeholders.
7. Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.