HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/02/2011 04B Minutes 07-20-2011 Council Public Safety Committee 0
Counci Safety Committee
July 20, 2011
MINUTES
Council Members Present: Kathy Coffey, Bill Lover and Maureen Adkison
Staff Present: Interim City Manager Michael Morales, Interim Police Chief Greg
Copeland, Police Lieutenant Mike Merryman, Police Lieutenant Tom Foley, Acting Fire
Chief Dave Willson, Acting Code Administration Manager Joe Caruso, City Attorney Jeff
Cutter, Legal Intern Jake Day, Legal Intern Mike Holman, Deputy Director of
Accounting and Budgeting Cindy Epperson, and Police Administrative Assistant Terri
Croft.
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Coffey at 3 p.m.
Closure of Police Airport Substation
Copeland provided the committee with a brief history of the airport substation, which
0 was opened shortly after the West Valley annexation in 2004. The intent was to
eventually have the substation be a fully staffed facility that would be open to the public
to make police reports, etc. • The department has never been able to fund a fully staffed
substation and the current arrangement presents problems with transporting vehicles for
maintenance, transporting paperwork, etc. Copeland advised the department would like
to move out of the substation at the end of 2011 and return all functions to the main
station. Lover asked if there would also be a reduction in the fleet. Copeland advised
that there were several vehicles currently in the employee parking lot that are awaiting
disposal. Morales asked that the closure be a policy issue to be submitted with the
Police budget.
II. YPAL Facilities Use Agreement
Foley reported that he had attended the YPAL Board meeting where the facilities use
agreement was discussed. There was a request to hire an executive director, submit the
2012 budget, and provide a maintenance schedule for the facility. Foley advised that
the YPAL Board is meeting Friday with a prospective executive director and has
recently entered into an agreement for interior maintenance of the facility. Foley
believes that all the requirements and requests can be met well before the end of the .
current use agreement, and that the YPAL Board may be requesting a two month
extension of the current agreement. Morales noted that the exterior maintenance
continues to be provided by the Parks Department and ONDS volunteers.
III. Gang Unit Update
Copeland updated the committee on the status of the Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF).
Due to the uncertainty of federal funding, all partner agencies have currently withdrawn
from the task force. YPD continues to provide 1 sergeant and 2 officers to the task
force, but YPD is the only agency remaining in the task force. Copeland advised that
the department is also looking at a $600,000- $700,000 overage in jail costs for 2011
that may only be able to be filled with salary savings in vacant positions. Copeland
stated that he was looking at reducing the SSTF to one officer and placing him under
the supervision of the Gang Unit. That is where the majority of the SSTF cases would
be involved due to the nature of crime in our community. This officer would serve as a
"place holder" to restart the task force if funding becomes available. The sergeant and
the other officer would be transferred to the Patrol division. Coffey was disappointed
that the task force failed to develop, as the early meetings were very promising. She
was unaware that there were any issues with the partner agencies withdrawing or with
the lack of funding. She requested that a report be sent to the full Council, as she
suspected most of the council members were probably unaware of the current status.
IV. GFI Update
Merryman reported that the draft of the community profile has been completed and he
expects the Executive Committee to meet soon to finalize the report. The next step,
after releasing the profile, will be to move toward program support and development.
The community profile is a key element and requirement to obtain federal funding for
programs. Coffey advised the committee that Councilmember Dave Ettl has resigned
as the chair of the GFI Steering Committee, and Councilmember Maureen Adkison will
now chair the committee. Coffey recognized all of the work Ettl had done on behalf of
the GFI and expressed her thanks. Lover asked if there would be, any funding to start
up programs before federal funds become available. Coffey advised that many
programs already exist, that the GFI will now move toward partnerships with the
projects agencies and better promotion of available resources. The grant funding will
be used to assist and bolster the current programs.
There will be a press conference on July 28 to release the Community Profile, and it will
be presented to the full Council on August 2.
V. Regional Fire Authority
Willson advised the committee is moving into Phase 3 of the feasibility study, which is
the financial analysis. There will be a meeting August 11 at 6:00 p.m. at Station 95 to -
ask questions of the potential financial consultants. Prospective consultants will be sent
an information packet to include the scope, concept, and financial data prior to the
meeting.
O VI. Second Hand Precious Metals Dealers
Intern Mike Holman presented draft legislation for the committee's information. This
legislation would adopt new state law regarding precious metals dealers. The State bill
has not yet been codified so it cannot simply be adopted to a City ordinance. The draft
legislation mirrors the new State law language, which is not expected to change with
,.. codification.
Morales requested that a business outreach program be conducted when the ordinance
does come before council
VII. Gang Injunctions
Intern Jake Day presented his research on gang injunctions, where they have been
implemented, and the differences that make implementation in Washington difficult. He
stated that a viable option could be the City's park ordinance, where gang members
could be trespassed from City parks. The committee asked what constituted a park for
this purpose and requested that Day provide a complete report with recommendations
to the Council on August 2.
VIII. Update on Nuisance Properties
® Caruso advised the nuisance property program is continuing to work, and multiple
locations are being abated simultaneously. He updated the committee that Officer
Fowler had attended the Crime Free Rental Housing training, and when he arrived, he
learned that he was to be a speaker at the training. The City of Yakima is being held up
as the example for a successful nuisance property program.
IX. Other Business
Morales updated the committee that large increases in jail costs are expected. He will
meet with County Commissioner Leita to discuss options. In the longterm, if these
costs continue to increase, it may become more advantageous for the City to lease bed
space from jails outside of Yakima. The City would consider purchasing the now - vacant
County restitution center in Union Gap, however we have been told that the County is
not inclined to discuss sale of that property. They would like to offer the jail facility on
Pacific Avenue, which would not meet the City's needs.
He also discussed 911 with Commissioner Elliott. The County Commission has not
imposed all 911 fees, and now operational reserves fqr 91,j have been depleted. The
County would have to enact the fees by September 15 in order to begin collecting at the
beginning of 2012. The County wants 911 to be a separate entity before they consider
imposing the fees. They would like an indication from Council of what a possible
organization structure and consolidation would look like.
O
Morales also advised that there is a request to increase indigent defense funding to •
$175,000 from $150,000.
Meeting Adjournment
The eet +n+ w. adjourned at 4:10 p.rn.
r' J
Kathy Coffey
Public Safety Committee Chair
Minutes prepared by Terri Croft