City Council

1 VILLAGE OF PORT DICKINSON Village Board Meeting Agenda March 23, 2021 5:00 pm Port Dickinson Village Hall Zoom ID: 874 6589 6725 Passcode: 413329 Please take a moment to ensure that your cellphones are OFF or SILENCED. CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC HEARING: 1. Proposed Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan 2. Proposed Local Law 2-2021, APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 9, 2021 meeting PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: AUDIT & PAYMENT OF CLAIMS #15 (2020-2021) 1. Abstract of Unaudited vouchers for the General Fund for $ 2. Abstract of Unaudited vouchers for the Water Fund for $ 3. Abstract of Unaudited vouchers for the Sewer Fund for $ OLD BUSINESS: RESOLUTIONS FOR APPROVAL: 1. Resolution as follows: VILLAGE OF PORT DICKINSON RESOLUTION ADOPTING A POLICE REFORM PLAN At a regular meeting of the Village Board of the Village of Port Dickinson, held on the 23rd day of March, 2021, the following resolution was offered and seconded: WHEREAS, on June 12, 2020, the Governor signed Executive Order 203 initiating the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative requiring municipalities that have a police agency to perform a comprehensive review of current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, and develop a plan to improve them; and WHEREAS, each of those local governments is required under Executive Order 203 to convene the head of the police agency and stakeholders in the community to develop a Police Reform Plan, to offer such Plan for public comment, and then to submit such Plan to the local legislative body for ratification or adoption. A public hearing was scheduled for March 23, 2021 at 5:00 p.m., and notice of said public hearing was duly advertised in the official newspaper of the Village and posted on the Village Clerk’s signboard; and WHEREAS, said public hearing was duly held on the 23rd day of March, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. and all parties attending were permitted an opportunity to speak on behalf of or in opposition to said Police Reform Plan; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, it has been determined by the Village Board that adoption of the proposed Police Reform Plan constitutes a Type II Action as defined under 6 NYCRR 617.5(c)(26) and (33); and  2 WHEREAS, the Village Board, after due deliberation, finds it in the best interest of the Village to adopt the Police Reform Plan attached hereto. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of the Village of Port Dickinson hereby adopts the attached Police Reform Plan as set forth herein; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor will submit certification of adoption of the attached Police Reform Plan to the State Budget Director on or before April 1, 2021; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will take effect immediately 2. Resolution approving Local Law 2-2021 as follows VILLAGE OF PORT DICKINSON LOCAL LAW NO. 2 FOR THE YEAR 2021 LOCAL LAW TO OVERRIDE THE TAX LEVY LIMIT ESTABLISHED IN GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW §3-C Be it enacted by the Village Board of the Village of Port Dickinson as follows: Section 1. Legislative Intent. It is the intent of this local law to override the limit on the amount of real property taxes that may be levied by the Village of Port Dickinson pursuant to General Municipal Law §3-c, and to allow the Village of Port Dickinson to adopt a budget for the fiscal year beginning June 1, 2021 and ending May 31, 2022 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the “tax levy limit” as defined by General Municipal Law §3-c. Section 2. Authority. This local law is adopted pursuant to subdivision 5 of General Municipal Law §3-c, which expressly authorizes the Village Board to override the tax levy limit by the adoption of a local law approved by vote of at least sixty percent (60%) of the Village Board. Section 3. Tax Levy Limit Override. The Village Board of the Village of Port Dickinson, County of Broome is hereby authorized to adopt a budget for the 2021/2022 fiscal year that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the amount otherwise prescribed in General Municipal Law §3-c. Section 4. Remainder Except as hereinabove amended, the remainder of the Code of the Village of Port Dickinson shall remain in full force and effect. Section 5. Separability The provisions of this Local Law are separable and if any provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, subsections, words, or parts of this local law or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this local law would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part had not been included therein, and as if such person or circumstance, to which the local law or part thereof is held inapplicable, had been specifically exempt therefrom. Section 6. Effective Date This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with Section 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.  3 3. Resolution approving hiring of Edward Sakowsky as a part-time Police Officer effective 3/29/2021 at a rate of $16.25/hr. 4. Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing on 4/13/2021 on proposed Local Law 3-2021, amending Chapter 60 of the Village Code entitled “Vehicles and Traffic” NEW BUSINESS/DISCUSSION: ADJOURNMENT  4 2021 Port Dickinson Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative OBJECTIVE: Pursuant to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Executive Order 203, the Port Dickinson Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Community Committee is responsible for organizing meetings to solicit input from community members regarding improvements and/or reforms to the Port Dickinson Police Department. Through this review process, the Committee seeks to identify ways for the police department to better serve the Village's diverse community, improve public safety, implement 21st Century policing strategies, build confidence, strengthen trust and legitimacy and address disparities that affect communities of color. PROCESS for the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative: • Review the needs of our community served by the Port Dickinson Police Department • Evaluate the department’s current policies and practices. • Establish and evaluate policies that allow police to safely perform their duties. • Involve the entire community in the discussion by way of a Zoom public listening session, and submission of comments/recommendations via email or Comment Cards. • Develop policy recommendations resulting from this review. • Present the plan to the Port Dickinson Village Board. • Certify adoption of the plan to the State Budget Director on or before April 1, 2021. DEMOGRAPHIC of the Village of Port Dickinson Port Dickinson is a small village within the Town of Dickinson, County of Broome, in the Southern Tier Region of New York State with a population of 1641 people and a total of 739 households. The poverty rate for the village is 12%, lower than the state average. The largest ethnic groups in Broome County are White (Non- Hispanic) (95%,) Black (2%,) Asian (1.4%) and Latino (.82%.) - Source, 2020 Census Track. The Port Dickinson Police Department is comprised of 11 highly trained police officers who provide service on a twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week basis. The Port Dickinson Police Department serves the residents and visitors of our community as they attend school, go to work or commute within the village. The Port Dickinson Police Department enforces the laws of the State of New York, County of Broome, Town of Dickinson and our own village ordinances. The Port Dickinson Police Department also provides mutual aid law enforcement services to the Binghamton Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police, and answers calls for service in their respective areas during emergency situations.  5 COMMITTEE MEMBERS • Kevin Burke, Mayor (per Executive Order) • James DeGennaro, Village Board (per Executive Order) • Robert Aagre, Resident • David Robertson, Resident • Carlos Chaluisant, Resident • Jacqueline Mack, Resident • Eva Rydos, Resident • Steve Chastain, Pastor, Community Baptist Church • Patrick Sine, SRO, Broome County District Attorney’s Office • Douglas Pipher, Chief of Police, Port Dickinson Police Department • Scot McDonald, Sergeant, Port Dickinson Police Department ** Current list as of 03/07/21, although membership may subject to change** MEETING STRUCTURE & METHODS OF TRANSPARENCY The Committee is responsible for organizing and maintaining themselves as representatives of the community of the Village of Port Dickinson. Further meetings and topics will be scheduled by the committee based on their needs and organized around their individual schedules. The purpose is to understand collectively the needs of the overall constituency group and relay those needs to the Port Dickinson Police Department. Meetings will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mayor and Chief of Police reserve the right to issue additional correspondence through their offices. All documents, testimony, outreach, etc. will be maintained at the Village Office. Meetings will be recorded and made available upon demand. REFORM AND REINVENTION INITIATIVE PROCESS • 08/24/20 - Began review and update of current Use of Force Policy. • 11/28/20 - Organizational meeting held within the Port Dickinson Police Department. • 01/07/21 - Develop a flyer to be hand delivered to residences on every street within the confines of the village, with special attention given to the residences of minorities. • 01/08/21 - Begin implementation of delivery process. • 01/26/21 - Initial Zoom meeting to discuss plan and recruit committee members / group discussion • 02/06/21 - Create a PowerPoint presentation, outlining the directives of Executive Order 203, the updates to our Use Of Force policy, and goals of the Port Dickinson Police Department • 02/09/21 - Zoom meeting to present PowerPoint presentation to committee members / further development of committee / group discussion on increasing contact with village police. • 02/21/21 - Final iteration of Use of Force Policy completed, submitted to Village attorney for recommendation / approval.  6 • 02/23/21 - Zoom meeting to discuss progress / input from committee on additional ways to contact Port Dickinson Police with comments, complaints, etc. • 02/25/21 - Implementation of Contact / Comment Card program. • 02/26/21 - Expand website to include contact information, Mission Statement, Contact / Comment Card Program, and Use of Force Policy. • 02/26/21 - Door-to-door additional recruitment of additional Committee members. • 03/09/21 - Meeting of Village Board, Use of Force Policy approved. • 03/09/21 - Citizen’s Police Advisory Board meeting, introduction of new members and schedule moving forward. • 03/10/21 - All website upgrades are posted. • 03/12/21 - Posting of Citizen’s Police Advisory Board email link for residents to communicate with the Board. • 03/10/21 - Completed report submitted to Village Board for review, adoption. Moving Forward Transparency & Accountability • Body Worn Camera deployment and maintenance • Publication of updated Use Of Force Policy • Expansion of website to include more contact information, pictures, mission statement. • Maintain our compliancy with any FOIL requests (Repeal of Civil Rights Law, Sec. 50-a,) and Use of Force Data Collection (Executive Order 837) Training The Port Dickinson Police Department will continue to expand our training in cultural diversity, implicit bias, crisis intervention, mental illness and de-escalation tactics in correlation with the Training Office of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Community Engagement • Assisted in creating the Community Committee for the village, and will continue participation to give all village residents a voice. • Upgraded Use of Social Media for Transparency. • Coordination of “Meet Your Public Official” events with Fire Co. to continue to build trust and report with residents. • Created and implemented Police Contact / Comment Card program. Alternatives to Traditional Policing • Increase our approach to pro-active policing, conducting routine patrols of all neighborhoods, with a community oriented focus. • Employ Focused Deterrence techniques as needed. • Maintain specific police programs, such as Operation Reassurance and property checks on village residences as requested.  7 MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Port Dickinson Police Department is to serve all people within our village. This is accomplished through the enforcement of local, state and federal law. The Port Dickinson Police Department is committed to providing a police service that meets our unique neighborhood needs by combining law enforcement activities, progressive crime prevention initiatives, and community policing strategies. The primary goal of the Port Dickinson Police Department is to preserve the rights of all residents and visitors without prejudice or bias against race, gender, religion, ethnic and national origin or sexual orientation so that they may live prosperous lives and enjoy themselves. This is achieved through the protection of life and property; through the resolution of conflict and emergency situations; through the creation and maintenance of a feeling of security within the community; through a reduction of crime by minimizing opportunity through various crime prevention strategies as well as through the diligent apprehension and subsequent prosecution of offenders. It is the duty of each member of the Port Dickinson Police department to strive on a daily basis to succeed in accomplishing these goals and objectives. All members of the Port Dickinson Police Department are expected to carry out these responsibilities in a diligent and professional manner. Port Dickinson Police Officers must seek out and preserve public confidence by maintaining high ethical standards, demonstrating impartial service to the law, and by offering service and trust to all members of the public.