City Council - Public Safety Committee

Public Safety Committee Meeting Meeting Minutes: February 4, 2020 Councilor Gomez called the meeting to order at 6:30pm Members Present: Chair Homar Gomez, Clerk Lindsey Rothschild and Councilor Salem Derby. Also in Attendance:​ Councilor Dan Rist, resident Annette Szczygiel of Mutter Street, Attorney Amanda Zedonis Kemp Approval of Minutes:​ ​ ​A motion was made by Councilor ​Derby​ and seconded by Councilor Rothschild, it was unanimously voted to approve the minutes of January 21, 2020 Public Speak Time: ​ Annette Szcygiel reported that there was a roll-over auto accident the previous Saturday on Clark St and that speeding is still a problem. Continuing Business: ● Request to re-examine Main/South St. intersection - Letter from MASSDOT received. It recommends implementation of a traffic signal. Councilor Dan Rist stated that he put this intersection on the agenda because there is a lot of public concern. The Mayor got the study done. It supports a light, which is costly - estimate of 2 million dollars. The concern is that this traffic signal not be placed at the bottom or the list. Easthampton can’t pay for it. MADOT should. A letter to MASSDOT needs to refer to their data and highlight that Route 10 is a major artery to new school. This supports an urgency to get this done. Councilor Rist will draft a letter for the Council to sign for the first Council Meeting in March. Councilor Rothschild suggested that a letter also be sent to the Board of Public Works. ● Request to accept Division Street Extension as a public way: Attorney Amanda Zedonis Kemp reported that we received letter from City Planner. Everything has approved by the City Solicitor. A motion was made by Councilor ​Derby​ and seconded by Councilor Rothschild; it was unanimously voted to accept Division Street as a Public Way.  ● Request to review on-street parking in the Traffic Rules & Orders - This information is in the Downtown Strategic Plan Report ● Resident speeding concerns - The Council received a letter from BPW (attached). It recommends that the City Council follow the Pioneer Planning Commission’s recommendation to create an independent committee, appointed by the mayor, to identify and select traffic calming locations and appropriate remediation measures. The committee should comprise of members from the community, DPW/BPW, Planning Dept/Board, Engineering Dept and/or Emergency Services Dept Councilor Gomez will send a letter to the Council President and the Mayor recommending an independent committee. Councilor Rothschild lives off Clark Street and has received a lot of concerns from neighbors and hopes that they join the committee. ● A motion was made by Councilor ​Derby​ and seconded by Councilor Rothschild; it was unanimously voted to remove the quadricycle ordinance without prejudice. ● Proposed Outdoor Events Policy - Councilor Gomez has been working on the language. It’s currently too much and confusing. Gomez is concerned it would be a deterrent to people holding events in Easthampton. Councilor Gomez would like the agenda item removed so that the policy can be simplified and returned to the agenda. A motion was made by Councilor ​Derby​ and seconded by Councilor Gomez; it was unanimously voted to remove the Outdoors Events Policy without prejudice. ● Next regular meeting: March 3, 2020 at 6:00pm A motion was made by Councilor Derby and seconded by Councilor Rothschild; it was unanimously voted that this meeting adjourn. Attached: Letter from MASSDOT, Letter from BPW Respectfully Submitted, Councilor Lindsey Rothschild Clerk to the Public Safety Committee