Public Safety Committee

Minutes of the Public Safety Committee of the Gardner City Council – November 17, 2014 Meeting Held at 6:00 p.m. on November 17, 2014. Members Present: Chairman Graves and Councillor Vance and Councillor Johnson. 1. Fire Dept. Chief said the ambulance feasibility study will be available next month. He said he had two new members of the Dept. going to the Academy in March or April. He needs more OT money as usual. He is down two positions since July. He needs two administrative vehicles, and has asked the Mayor for them to replace the 2004 Tahoe and the 2011 Taurus. He said they will keep the Tahoe for the people going to the Academy. The Taurus will be used by the City. The ambulance issue reached its end result as far as anything to be done within the confines of City government because the Legal Department persuaded the DPH to take its word for it that the Mayor was “empowered” in 1923 to be the “local jurisdiction,” and Chairman Graves reported that the only available recourse is Superior Court to challenge that decision on the part of the Legal Department. Committee voted to take the matter off its agenda, unanimously. 2. Health Dept. Mr. Sullivan reported that the flu clinics were concluded (150 shots given). Licensing is keeping his Dept. very busy right now. He said the Health board is interested in spraying for mosquitos since the EEE outbreak (that canceled evening activities in Gardner). He said they can get help through Central Mass. Mosquito who map and target mosquito breeding areas, at a cost to the City of $52,000 – well worth it if it saves the life of a kid. The chemicals are “environmentally benign.” 3. Police Department: The Chief said that he has 2 officers in the Academy. He said he needs 2 new vehicles. He questioned whether we can provide for the arrest of a repeat offender of the Sex Offender (proposed) Ordinance, and Councillor Graves said that he did not think that any municipality has such powers. 4. Sex Offender Ordinance. Committee will ask for more time on this as we have yet to hear from the Legal Dept. Meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.