Public Safety Committee

PRESIDENT Scott Joseph Graves, Esq. CITY OF GARDNER COUNCILLORS AT LARGE MASSACHUSETTS 01440-2630 James S. Boone Craig R. Cormier OFFICE OF THE Ronald F. Cormier CITY COUNCIL Edward A. Gravel Scott J. Graves, Esq. Christine A. Johnson WARD 1 COUNCILLOR ________________________________ __________________________________ James M. Walsh, Esq. WARD 2 COUNCILLOR Elizabeth J. Kazinskas WARD 3 COUNCILLOR Nathan R. Boudreau July 17, 2018 WARD 4 COUNCILLOR Karen G. Hardern PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE WARD 5 COUNCILLOR James D. Johnson Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2018 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Mayor’s Conference, Room 128, City Hall ANNOUNCEMENT - Any person may make a video or audio recording of an open session of a meeting, or may transmit the meeting through any medium, subject to reasonable requirements of the chair as to the number, placement and operation of equipment used so as not to interfere with the conduct of the meeting. Any person intending to make such recording shall notify the Chair forthwith. All Documents referenced or used during the meeting must be submitted in duplicate to the Chair of the Committee, pursuant to the Open Meeting and Public Records Law. All documents shall become part of the official record of the meeting. I. Review and Approval of the Minutes of the May 31, 2018 and June 11, 2018 Public Safety Committee Meetings. II. Department Updates • Health Director Jennifer Susen-Roy • Police Chief Neil Erickson • Fire Chief Richard Ares (Fire/Ambulance) • Building Commissioner Roland Jean III. Motor Vehicle Dealer and MV Junk License Applications. • #9962 – An Application by Folgar Salvage and Export Company for a License to Buy and Sell Second Hand Motor Vehicles, Class 2, at Rear 27 Hill Street (In City Council and Referred to Public Safety, 7/2/2018). • #9963 – An Application by Folgar Salvage and Export Company for a License to Deal in Motor Vehicle Junk, Class 3, at Rear 27 Hill Street (In City Council, Ordered to Public Hearing, and Referred to Public Safety, 7/2/2018). • #9964 – An Application by Rob’s Dyno Service, LLC for a License to Buy and Sell Second Hand Motor Vehicles (Motorcycles), Class 1, at 268 Coleman Street (In City Council and Referred to Public Safety 7/2/2018). IV. Traffic Issues • Leamy Street and Baker Street Intersection safety issues. • South Main Street and Victoria Street speeding complaints. V. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF GARDNER, CHAPTER 600, ENTITLED “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,” ARTICLE VI: STOPPING, STANDING, AND PARKING, SECTION 23: ALL-NIGHT PARKING. VI. Other Business. VII. Adjournment. NOTICE: The listing of Agenda items are those reasonably anticipated by the Chairman which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. CITY COUNCIL OF GARDNER James D. Johnson COUNCILLOR JAMES D. JOHNSON Chairman, Public Safety Committee  City of Gardner, Massachusetts City Council Public Safety Committee Minutes of the Meeting of May 31, 2018 Committee Chairman Councillor James Johnson called the Public Safety Committee meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room, City Hall. Committee members Councillors Karen Hardern and Edward Gravel were present. Other officials present and/or participating were Building Commissioner Roland Jean; Fire Chief Richard Ares; and, City Clerk Alan Agnelli. Minutes of Prior Meeting(s). On a motion by Councillor Edward Gravel and seconded by Councillor Karen Hardern, it was voted to accept the Minutes of the April 17, 2018 Meeting, as printed. Building Department Budget – Building Commissioner Roland Jean Department is in staffing transition – Ed Tonet is filling in while the search is conducted for new Plumbing & Gas Inspector. The Department is also interviewing for a new night building custodian for City Hall. A second Local Inspector’s position (part-time) is included in the Budget, but that the City is having a difficult time finding someone to take the position. The position would be handling R-2 Inspections (multi-family units). Fire/Ambulance Budget – Fire Chief Richard Ares • Fire Dept. Repairs & Maintenance - $70k budgeted, covers repairs to all vehicles and apparatus and for tires, oil, grease, etc. Additional expenses for the Ladder, and buildings and facilities were addressed in the current year’s budget. • Ambulance Dept. Professional Services – Provides payments to Coastal for Ambulance billing services and the account also serves as “a pass through” for ALS intercepts. Coastal charges 3½% of the amount collected for collection fees ($44,000 paid to-date). Other Matters • The new Ambulance is coming off the assembly line next week and will be delivered to the dealer in Attleboro for outfitting. Expected to be delivered to the Department in July. • Working to implement combined Fire-Police Dispatching, anticipating August or September to “go online.” Dispatchers will undergo 8 hours of training in Fire Department protocols. • Ambulance service is doing well, averaging 4.4 transports per day. Since March 1, 2017, $546,891 in fees have been collected through the end of April, 2018 (includes the period when the Ambulance was out-of-service for repairs). • Current Ambulance could be outfitted with a new chassis to extend its useful life since the box is in good shape. Potential for more revenue for the City. • When the Fire Department is fully-staffed, no OT is paid for EMT coverage. 05-31-2018 Public Safety Committee Minutes Page 1 of 2  City of Gardner, Massachusetts City Council Public Safety Committee Minutes of the Meeting of May 31, 2018 #9923 – An Ordinance to Amend the Code of the City of Gardner, Chapter 600 Thereof, Entitled “Vehicles and Traffic,” to Prohibit Parking on Sawyer Street from Dyer Street Westerly for a Distance of 665’, both sides. Committee Chairman Councillor James Johnson stated that the proposed Ordinance was recommended by the Traffic Commission, which cited the narrowness of the street and the inability of public safety vehicles, particularly Fire apparatus, from traversing through Sawyer Sttreet due to cars parked along both sides near the gated rear entrance to OEV. On a motion Councillor Edward Gravel and seconded by Karen Hardern, it was voted to recommend that the City Council pass the following Ordinance: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF GARDNER, CHAPTER 600 THEREOF, ENTITLED “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC.” Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Gardner as follows: Section 1. Section 600-24 of Chapter 600, Vehicles and Traffic, Parking Prohibited on certain streets, is amended by adding the following: Name of Street Side Location Sawyer Street Both From Dyer Street westerly for a distance of 665 feet Section 2. This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage and publication as required by law. Adjournment. On a motion Councillor Edward Gravel and seconded by Karen Hardern, it was voted to adjourn at 6:39 p.m. 05-31-2018 Public Safety Committee Minutes Page 2 of 2  City of Gardner, Massachusetts City Council Public Safety Committee Minutes of the Meeting of June 11, 2018 Committee Chairman Councillor James Johnson called the Public Safety Committee meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room, City Hall. Committee members Councillors Karen Hardern and Edward Gravel were present. Other officials present and/or participating were Public Health Director Jennifer Susen-Roy; Police Chief Neil Erickson; Deputy Chief of Police Richard Braks; and, City Clerk Alan Agnelli. Health Department Budget – Jennifer Susen-Roy • Nursing Services – Budget reduced from $15,000 in FY18 to $7,500 in FY19 since there has been a marked reduction in the number of reported communicable diseases. Budget line item also covers the cost of medical supplies. • Emergency Tenant Relocation/Cleaning – For temporary housing for displaced tenants for health and safety reasons and for cleaning and removal of refuse on private properties. Chairman James Johnson noted that $13,127 has been expended YTD for temporary housing (motels) for persons displaced from 94 Pleasant Street. Landfill Closure Expenses – Jennifer Susen-Roy • Effective August 1, Seaman Paper will terminate the contract for gas at the Landfill and that “flares will go online full-time.” • The landfill is mowed twice each year and the wells and air pollutants are monitored. • No anticipated increase in Waste Management “tipping fees” for curbside trash, recycling, and transfer station. City has a five-year contract that expires in 2020. • China stopped accepting certain recyclables. Police Department Budget – Chief Neil Erickson • Clothing Allowance (57090) – Allowance for new Police recruits. $6k to $7k cost per recruit. • $3k per recruit to attend the Police Academy – 10 weeks of training - includes PA Training and internal/field training. • PD currently staffed with 30 Police Officers. In 2003, the PD was staffed with 37 full- time Police Officers, but many were laid-off. • Armory Equipment – Includes weapons, ammunition, and Taser Contract. • Portable Radios – Covers maintenance and repairs for all radios and to purchase new radios for the new recruits. • New Police Vehicles - $119k allows for the purchase of 2 marked units and 1 unmarked unit; $124k allows for the purchase of 3 marked units. • The older SUVs have over 100,000 odometer miles. • Department still has 2 sedan cruisers. 06-11-2018 Public Safety Committee Minutes Page 1 of 2  City of Gardner, Massachusetts City Council Public Safety Committee Minutes of the Meeting of June 11, 2018 • Professional Services – Includes contract for specialized software program to track police education, training, etc. • Vehicle Supplies – Tires, oil, transmissions, and electronic compenents in each cruiser. • College Credits – A contractual obligation that provides for additional compensation to officers with college degrees – many with Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and some with Master’s Degrees. Dispatch Budget • Budget includes 3 full-time Dispatch Supervisors and 9 full-time Dispatchers. Provides for around-the-clock coverage. • The State provided an additional $360k for Central Dispatch/E911. Animal Shelter • 90 applications were received for the open ACO position. • No longer an “Assistant position” at the Shelter. Civil Defense • The Civil Defense operation is now located in the Police Station (formerly housed in the closed South Gardner Fire Station). Adjournment. On a motion Councillor Edward Gravel and seconded by Karen Hardern, it was voted to adjourn at 6:44 p.m. 06-11-2018 Public Safety Committee Minutes Page 2 of 2