City Council - Public Safety Committee

Public Safety Committee Meeting Meeting Minutes: December 7, 2021 Councilor Gomez called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. Online via Zoom Members Present: Chair Homar Gomez, Councilor Lindsey Rothschild and Councilor Salem Derby Also in Attendance: Greg Nuttleman, DPW; Eli Damon, Commission on Disability member; Mary Morris, Friends of the Council on Aging; Kevin Perrier Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Councilor Rothschild and seconded by Councilor Derby; it was voted by two votes to approve the minutes of 8/10/21. Councilor Gomez abstained. Public Speak Time: No members of the public present to speak. Continuing Business: ● Review of PVPC report re: safety of sidewalk on South Street at Main Street intersection ○ Greg Nuttleman (DPW): ADA ramps are in, temporary painting done, final painting will be done in the spring due to weather, sidewalks to be put in in the spring due to weather, rapid flashing beacons should be in by the end of the calendar year ● Ordinance Review Committee’s Report ○ 3-76 Penalties ■ Councilor Gomez will get more input from the police department ■ Eli Damon: We don’t do cycling education; people who get punished for not really understanding the rules ○ Section 6-8,6-9 was struck in the last meeting ○ Section 6.15 - need to get input from EPD ○ Section 8-4/Section 8-5 - Going to send to EPD for discussion; then city solicitor if new language is needed as regards free speech ○ Sec. 8-41 Snow and Ice Removal ■ Discussion around inequity and snow removal  ■ Eli Damon, Commission on Disability member, spoke for the need of a system that ensures all walkways are cleared as streets are cleared ■ Councilor Rothschild shared letter from Commission on Disability and expressed the desire to understand our current practices ■ Mary Morris, Committee for Friends of the Council on Aging: spoke to the issue of corners; a resident may clear the sidewalk but not the corner so then pedestrians cannot cross the street ■ Councilor Derby and Greg Nuttleman spoke to the expense of comprehensive snow removal of walkways; Greg Nuttleman suggested looking at places that are chronically needed and prioritize ■ Discussion continued around the importance of keeping roadways safe, safe pedestrian ways, avenues for potential funding ■ Discussion of waivers and help from City for seniors and people with disabilities who can’t remove their own snow ■ Councilor Gomez will find out from the EPD the number of citations issued for not removing snow ■ Mary Morris spoke to the issue of DPW dumping heavy snow on sidewalks after the seniors shoveled their walks ■ Greg Nuttleman will send list of current streets that are plowed by the city to the Committee ○ Request by owner of 19 Wemelco Way to review parking on the street ■ Kevin Perrier, an owner of a new cannabis manufacturing facility at 19 Wemelco Way, spoke to the parking issue caused by a tractor trailer or two using the street as their parking area ■ Discussion around use of the bike path access at end of road, the access for public safety vehicle ■ A motion was made by Councilor Derby and seconded by Councilor Rothschild; it was unanimously voted that a no parking area be created on the south side of Wemelco Way from Route 10 to the end of the road. Other: ● Quarterly report from the Fire Department (see attached) Next regular meeting: December 21, 2021 at 5pm A motion was made by Councilor Rothschild and seconded by Councilor Gomez; it was unanimously voted that this meeting adjourn. Respectfully Submitted, Councilor Lindsey Rothschild Clerk to the Public Safety Committee