City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2022 IN CITY HALL 1. Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Mayor Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk, gave the Invocation. 3. Council Members present at roll call: Deanna Koski, Michael V. Radtke Jr., Maria G. Schmidt, Liz Sierawski, Michael C. Taylor, Barbara A. Ziarko. Absent: Henry Yanez Also Present: Mark Vanderpool, City Manager; Marc D. Kaszubski, City Attorney; Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the agenda as presented. Yes: All. The motion carried. 5. BUDGET WORKSHOP DISCUSSION A. Police Fire Community Relations Public Works Water & Sewer Fund Mayor Taylor explained this is a special City Council meeting and is part of their budget workshops. They will be talking about Police, Fire, Community Relations, Public Works, and the Water & Sewer fund. He turned the discussion over to Mr. Vanderpool. Mr. Vanderpool explained they have a few presentations, and there will be plenty of time for Council feedback and comments from the audience. He invited Budget & Finance Director Jennifer Varney to provide a financial overview with the budgets under consideration this evening. He reminded that any budget amendments need to be made this evening so they can be incorporated into the final budget adoption on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. He reminded that the next meeting will be held on a Wednesday evening due to Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 2 the Warren Consolidated School District bond proposal election on Tuesday, May 3. Budget and Finance Director Jennifer Varney continued the overview of the proposed 2022 / 2023 fiscal year budget with the use of a PowerPoint presentation, including discussion of four General Fund departments, being Police, Fire, Community Relations, and Public Works, as well as the Water & Sewer Fund. She reminded that the proposed General Fund budget totals $117.2 million. The Police Department is the largest department, totaling 34 percent of the General budget. It has 215 employees in four divisions, and the budget totals $39.9 million, adding that over 90 percent of the budget is related to personnel costs. She stated the total budget increased his year by $750,000, or just under 2 percent, with an increase of approximately $1 million due to contractual wage adjustments, the addition of a Deputy Police Chief, and the conversion of a part- time Animal Control Officer to full time. These increases were offset by reduction in the contributions to the pension and retiree medical plans. The budget includes continuation of the CORE Movie Night, and the purchase of FLOCK cameras for use in criminal investigations. She clarified the FLOCK cameras are proposed to be purchased with forfeiture funds. Ms. Varney outlined the highlights of the capital budget, including replacement of seven investigative vehicles, ten traffic and patrol vehicles, continuation of a multi-year replacement project for hand-held speed measuring equipment, in-car computers and modems, and ballistic helmets. She added a second security gate is proposed to be installed in the parking lot behind the Police Station, and an additional TruNarc Analyzer and replacement tasers are proposed using forfeiture funds. Ms. Varney explained the Fire Department budget totals $24.3 million, which is 21 percent of the total General Fund Budget. There are three divisions, and the budget includes 110 full-time and 5 part-time positions. The total budget increased $790,000, or 3.4 percent, with personnel costs accounting for most of the increase due to contractual wage increases and the addition of two part-time inspectors and a part-time account clerk in Fire Prevention. She added that the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 3 budget also includes additional training for firefighters and officers, and funds for the development of a Strategic Plan. She reviewed the capital highlights, including the replacement of twenty-five-year-old fire engine, two replacement chassis for ambulances, the replacement of the five remaining diesel exhaust systems and the continuation of replacement plans for air packs and cardiac monitors, as well as the beginning of a multi-year plan to replace turnout gear. Ms. Varney explained that Community Relations totals $1.8 million, or about 1 percent of the General Fund budget. She noted the department includes eight full-time and two part-time positions. The Community Relations budget increased about $100,000, or 6 percent, primarily due to the return of a traditional Sterlingfest. Funds are included for equipment for a podcast studio and public art. Ms. Varney stated the final General Fund department is the Department of Public Works, with a budget totaling $11.6 million, and includes refuse costs of $4.8 million. Public Works consists of four divisions, with 34 full-time and 17 part- time employees. Their budget increased $127,000, or 2.3 percent, noting fuel costs increased significantly, but this was partially offset by the one-time cost of a fleet study in the current year. She explained purchases for this department include the replacement of a twenty-year-old woodchipper, a twenty-two-year- old dump truck, three pick-up trucks with plows, and a replacement printer for the sign shop. Ms. Varney concluded this evening with the Water and Sewer Fund, totaling $59.3 million, which comprises 23 percent of the total budget. This fund includes three divisions, with thirty-nine full-time and ten part-time employees, and about $45 million of the cost, or over 76 percent, are controlled by the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and Macomb County Public Works. Over $38 million, or 84 percent of those costs are fixed, which means those costs are incurred regardless of how much water is used. She explained that expenses in the Water and Sewer Fund increased $2.4 million, or 4.2 percent, with personnel costs increasing $200,000 due to contractual wage adjustments. She noted that Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 4 the cost of water from the GLWA increased about 3.4 percent this year, and the cost of sewer from Macomb County increased by 2.2 percent. The debt service on the bonds that will be issued on Thursday for the water meter replacement project is also included. She explained the capital budget includes the replacement of a stake truck, tandem-axle dump truck, pick-up trucks, and a backhoe loader, and the water meter replacement project will continue. The proposed budget includes a rate increase of 5 percent, which covers the increased cost, as well as an estimated increase in fund balance of $750,000, costing the average homeowner about $3 per month. She compared the new average monthly rate with last year’s rates in other communities, and she stressed Sterling Heights has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, rates in their surrounding communities. She explained how a rainy or dry season can drastically affect their Water and Sewer fund balance, noting that the Summer 2020 was very dry, causing their fund balance to increase significantly in Fiscal Year 2021. She noted the opposite occurred this past summer, which was a very wet summer, so for the current year, they are estimating an operating loss of $2.9 million; however, these two years offset each other. She indicated that with a normal weather year and 4-percent to 5-percent normal increases, they should meet their goal of 25 percent by 2026. Ms. Varney explained they will begin the transition to monthly billing this spring for all residential customers, and she explained the transition, with all customers on monthly billing by August of this year. She recommended that customers can visit their website at www.sterling- heights.net/waterbill to arrange for autopay, paperless billing, and budget billing. Ms. Varney concluded her report by stating that, at the request of Councilman Radtke, a budget amendment has been prepared to increase the General Fund Budget by $300,000 to fund a complete update of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. She advised that this, and any other budget amendments, should be voted on this evening for incorporation into the final budget that will be adopted at the May 4 City Council meeting. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 5 Mr. Vanderpool stated the next presentation involves the Police Department, and he explained they have made great use of technology to keep Sterling Heights one of the safest communities in the nation. He cited an example of a recent tragedy that occurred with an elderly couple, and knowing the husband had a gun, the officers were able to send a very small drone into the house to ensure safe conditions for the officers to enter. He added this is only one of many technological advancements that has been made in the Police Department, and he introduced Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski to give a presentation. Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski agreed with Mr. Vanderpool that technology is allowing their department to get more done, and he explained the FLOCK Safety License Plate Reader (LPR) Program is one of those projects. It involves a small battery or AC-powered camera slightly larger than a cell phone, charged by a solar panel above it. The proposal for the system is twenty-two cameras throughout the City for maximum coverage, and any pictures taken from this system go directly to the cloud. Police are proactively alerted when wanted vehicles enter Sterling Heights, and they can use it reactively to solve crimes. It adheres to all state laws, and the cameras run $2,500 each, including installation. He provided detailed information about the program and the cameras, adding that this program is up and running across the United States. He explained it gathers vehicle details and the license plate of the car from fixed locations, but he assured no people are photographed, no facial recognition is used, and no traffic enforcement is done with these cameras. He further explained the camera uses a color lens and an infrared lens to capture plates, even in total darkness, at speeds of 100 miles per hour. Through the PowerPoint presentation, he showed a screenshot of the data that can be collected from these cameras. He stressed this is about keeping Sterling Heights safe. If a car is stolen, or the police enter the plate of a car they are looking for, every officer on the road logged in to FLOCK will receive an alarm sound through their computer, notifying them of the alert, the location and description of the vehicle. He also relayed the advantages from an investigative standpoint, and added that FLOCK cameras Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 6 act as a deterrent, comparing it to the increasingly popular doorbell (RING) cameras over the last few years, where they can gather a lot of information from residents after a neighborhood crime is committed. He stressed this has reduced crime because people are getting caught. He added that homeowner associations, hotels, motels, and commercial properties can install their own LPR technology, and allow the police to have access to those cameras as well. Chief Dwojakowski explained in 2012, the City had its own license plate reader camera program, but it was only one car outfitted with four cameras mounted to the roof. Six other agencies had one car each, but the problem was that it these few vehicles were the only ones with this technology, and if they were out of service, they were not getting license plates. They have now moved to stationary cameras on poles, and their accuracy is phenomenal. He cited other communities that have signed on with FLOCK, and if they are on the same platform, they can allow data transfer with other communities. He also cited several instances where this system helped, including finding a child from an Amber Alert, identifying suspects in a road rage incident, and aided in solving homicide cases and car thefts. He explained that before they go live with any license plate reader technology, they are required to let residents know what is being purchased and how it will be used. He assured they will be very transparent with this program, adding that the data will only be held in their system for thirty days, at which time it is purged. There is no live video taken with the cameras, and the license plate data is owned by Sterling Heights and not sold to third-party vendors. It is completely encrypted from the time the picture is taken until it goes to the cloud and back to the users of the system. He stated all officers using the system must have an official law enforcement purpose to access this stored data, just like the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN), and anyone violating that could be disciplined, including termination, for inappropriate use of the database. He stated all officers will receive training on the license plate reader technology and the policy before the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 7 cameras are deployed, and the transparency dashboard will be added to their website before going live. Chief Dwojakowski explained the laser scanner, LEICA Geosystems RTC 360, approved by Council last year. It is state-of-the-art scanner on a tripod, which produces high-quality digital scans of surrounding environment. It does 3-D modeling of an entire crash scene or crime scene, and one scan takes about 1 minute 50 seconds, and by moving the scanner and taking a few images, they can “paint” the entire scene with a scanned image. Measurements can be determined, and they can “fly” through the scene when the scan is completed. He cited the instances where it will be used, and he compared it to the older equipment, noting the time this will save, and the accuracy that is increased. Twenty-two members, including every evidence technician, as well as all members of their traffic division, will be trained in this technology, including operation of the software on the back end. He showed examples of the scans that were taken with this equipment, pointing out that although it looks like a picture, it is actually millions of points of data that offer the ability to take measurements and trace evidence long after the scene has been cleared. Chief Dwojakowski explained their department does not have a Deputy Chief rank, which is being proposed in the upcoming budget. This position would report directly to him, and he would oversee the Police Administration Division, Police Operations, Investigations, and Support Services. He stated he is proud of each of the programs they started over the last five years, but increased responsibility requires increased management, oversight, and work. He outlined the programs started in the last five years, and provided details about their benefits to the community, including the CORE Program, SMART Moves, the Citizen Police Academy, Sterling Heights Drug-Free Coalition, Opiate Quick Response Team (QRT), Federal Anti-Narcotics Team of Macomb (FANTOM), the addition of a Recruitment Team and a full-time Social Worker position, Directed Patrol Unit, Community Services Unit, and ReDirect, a new program where they are working with the Macomb Prosecutor’s Office and Families Against Narcotics Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 8 (FAN) to help their officers find better solutions to get people the help they need. He talked about the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) Accreditation, and last summer the City of Sterling Heights became one of the largest cities in the State of Michigan to become fully certified. He explained they are doing more with more people, and the seven officers they are hiring for the Directed Patrol Unit and Community Services Unit are being paid for by closing their in-house jail facility, saving $700,000 by taking their prisoners directly to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department. He stressed there was a lot of work to get that done, but the beneficiaries are the residents. He reiterated the need for a Deputy Chief, and mentioned that, although the City is accredited, they are required to send in proofs that they are doing their work, and every three years they must be fully recertified, so that is ongoing work that is never done. He noted the 2020 Manpower Study highlighted the need for a Deputy Chief, and he added that the City has some great groups doing a lot of great work, such as the African American Coalition, CommUNITY Alliance, Clergy Forum, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Board, but all of these pull him away from the other work he has. He pointed out that many similar- sized cities across Michigan, including Warren, Shelby Township, Livonia, Taylor, Southfield, Roseville, and Grand Rapids, all have Deputy Chiefs. He stated that completes his presentation. Mr. Vanderpool stated there is a lot going on in the Police Department, as well as the Fire Department. He added the Sterling Heights Fire Department is renown for providing outstanding services to businesses and residents. They are highly rated with a Class 2 rating, one of the best in the State. He invited Fire Chief Kevin Edmond to highlight the initiatives being recommended to protect property and keep individuals safe. Fire Chief Kevin Edmond stated he is very privileged to lead the people of this Fire Department, and their members are very committed to excellence. The development through this commitment can be seen in the training and public education events they hold on a regular basis. They maintain this training to Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 9 assure the best care for their residents and businesses and are in the top 1 percent of Michigan fire departments, with 82 percent of their incidents responded to in five minutes. He talked about accreditation and some of the required steps, one of which involves the creation of a Strategic Planning document, included in this year’s budget. They plan to do a Standard of Cover in the 2023/2024 fiscal year, which lets them judge their deployment of resources based on the risk they assume in the City. Chief Edmond outlined the goals of developing the Five-Year Strategic Plan, including the creation of a shared vision of a sustainable and diverse organization capable of preventing, responding, and mitigating emergencies. It will be community-driven with input from the residents, department members, City management, and Council. They also developed a living document they hope will be evaluated every year as they go forward and repeat the process after five years. He explained training requirements, which are required for a number of certification levels and for the fire officer. With seven retirements anticipated, they need additional funds to develop their staff to continue their succession planning. They recently moved the Battalion Chiefs from Station 5 to Station 1, which will improve incident management by allowing them to cover a larger area within five minutes. They need to make improvements to some of their stations that are seeing wear-and- tear, especially Station 1. He discussed some of the upgrades that have taken place or will take place, including replacement of the HVAC units and parking lot. He talked about upgrade of the exhaust systems to cut down on the cancer- causing agents to which firefighters are exposed. He stressed they are constantly trying to improve the Fire Prevention Division through process improvements. He outlined the staff and their responsibilities, including fire inspections, noting they have increased over the last few years. He noted there was a slight drop in the number of business inspections last year, due partly through Covid and the illegal marijuana grow operations, which have been taken over by Code Enforcement so they can concentrate in their specialized area, which is fire inspections. He explained in October they implemented their Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 10 Mobilized Inspection Program, allowing the inspectors to do inspections remotely through a tablet. He noted they have 558 inspections scheduled before the end of this fiscal year. Safe Streets allowed them to invest in continuous capital improvements in the Fire Department, and they are researching vendors to remount their ambulances. He discussed other vehicle replacements and improvements proposed, including the replacement of the front-line engine at Station 3, which will be sixteen years old by the time it is replaced. This allows them to take out two of the vehicles that are over twenty years old and remove them from service. Chief Edmond addressed some of their equipment purchases. He informed that this will be the last year of their Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) project, which was approved some time ago. They have two current Lifepak monitors which have reached their lifespan, and the newest will be on the transport ambulance. This was a multi-year project that was started because they have five monitors that will reach their end-of-service life in approximately 2024. The oldest monitors are then put on the fire engines and the newest ones on the ambulances. He outlined some of their continuing projects, including sending a member to Staff and Command Leadership Program through Eastern Michigan University, with another member going next year. He added this helps with succession planning. They will resume their efforts of CPR training to the public since Covid numbers are down. Chief Edmond concluded his presentation by explaining they are looking at the possibility in the future of having a sixth ambulance during peak-time staffing. They have been having difficulty with recruitment, and they hope that by hiring people at an EMS level and allowing them to migrate over to the Fire Department, they will be able to diversify their department quicker because they will be exposing themselves to a larger pool of applicants. He clarified this would be a peak-time staffing unit that would be in service from approximately 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and would help with their workload. He stressed this would allow them to “develop a farm team that would lead them into the Fire Department side.” Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 11 Mr. Vanderpool commended the Fire Chief and his department for the good work they are doing in the Fire Department. He stated the Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining streets, rights-of-way, plowing roads, implementing the refuse and recycling program, and maintaining over three hundred vehicles of all types and sizes. He added they also ensures the proper function of the City’s vast network of water and sewer systems, along with stormwater detention facilities. He invited Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Mike Moore to highlight some of the many projects proposed in the DPW budget. Department of Public Works Director Mike Moore stated he will provide a brief update on their new building, the water replacement program, and future plans this year regarding hydrant flushing, valve maintenance in the water system, and drain maintenance. Mr. Moore showed “before” and “after” photographs of their old building and the new building, which has now been completed. The new building provides offices with a more professional setting in which to conduct business. He stressed the training/multipurpose room affords them much more room to accommodate one hundred employees at one time. He showed photographs of the fleet maintenance area, adding they can accommodate many more vehicles at the same time, reducing the down time for emergency responders and the rest of the City fleet. He showed a photograph of their parking area, commenting that it is a lot brighter and safer for staff to navigate. He showed a picture of their frontline snow fleet, and a short video was shown on the new building. Mr. Moore talked about the water meter replacement program, explaining that last year, $12 million was approved to replace each meter and install a transmitter. He commended his team for doing a great job, and they have completed about 30 percent. Their target date for completion of this project is July 2023, and nearly 13,000 meters out of 39,000 meters have been installed. The new system will provide them the opportunity to hopefully help residents reduce their water bills by looking at hourly usage, which helps them pinpoint a Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 12 possible leak or faulty sump pump. He also noted that they will be going to monthly billing this summer. Mr. Moore stated they want to make a concentrated effort this year to flush more of their over 7,000 hydrants in the City. He explained flushing them verifies they are working, which is a safety issue. It also removes sediment from the watermains over the years, and they can maintain proper chlorine concentrations in the water. They also want to focus on valve maintenance so they can effectively shut off water to make repairs to the system. Many of the valves are very old, and the bolts on the valves corrode and seals start to leak. If this occurs, they have to shut off further away, affecting more residents. They will be working with a contractor to do this work. Mr. Moore explained they are working with the Macomb County Public Works Office to identify drains within this community that are plugged with trees, branches, and other debris. Cleaning these assures less chance of flooding in heavy rain events. He concluded his presentation by showing “before” and “after” pictures of the Gibson Drain in Delia Park. Mr. Vanderpool stated that concludes their presentations this evening, and he stated they are available for questions and comments from the Mayor, City Council members, and audience members. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments. • Brandy Wright – expressed concern about the FLOCK camera system; thirty days of data is a lot of information that could potentially be misused; questioned how frequently the users of this software will be audited, and will those audits be available to the public; distributed an informational handout for City Council. • Yvonne Kniaz – agreed they have an elite police force but commented that there is a lack of traffic enforcement; observed numerous violations in her neighborhood; concerned that DPW mows too frequently and trees are overpruned; believes that the streets are oversalted in the winter months, and questioned whether they considered using beet juice; questioned how the City gets rid of phragmites. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski thanked all the presenters this evening. She appreciated the proactive enforcement of the Police Department. She understands there are risks with cameras as far as getting the wrong person or Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 13 overusing them. She requested Chief Dwojakowski address the potential misuse of this system, how it is policed, how they ensure the officers and employees of the Police Department are audited. Chief Dwojakowski replied that this is very similar to the LEIN network. He explained that a police officer can drive around the City and run every plate in front of him all day long. This is an automated version of doing that, and it is completely legal. He stated, sadly, that they had an officer who inappropriately used the LEIN network and ran a plate he should not have run, and that led to his termination. If he has a report of someone inappropriately accessing the FLOCK system, there will be a full investigation, and from days off work to termination is the remedy. He clarified they do not yet have the policy drafted but there would be an audit. The software requires either a case number or an explanation of the reason for the query when running the plate, so it is easy to find out if it is legitimate. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski understood there is always concern about a misuse of a system, and she compared it to the HIPAA (Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the medical field, where they need to make sure people are not inappropriately going into medical records. She appreciated there will be oversight and accountability on this system. She stressed proactive enforcement is helpful, and they do not always want to be reactive. She is impressed with the laser scanning of the crime / accident scenes. She is looking forward to the Direct Patrol Unit and the help it will give them. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she is glad to see the funds they saved by closing their jail facilities put to good use with the hiring of additional police officers. She is happy to see the upgrading of equipment in the Fire Department and that the training is going well. She is in favor of a sixth ambulance. She loves the new DPW building, and she questioned Mr. Moore when the fire hydrant in front of her house on Williams Drive will be flushed. Mr. Moore replied he does not know about that specific hydrant, but he assured it will be taken care of. He explained there is a systematic approach to make sure Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 14 that when a hydrant is flushed, it is flushed at the appropriate location in the system so the water can scour the main and get rid of the debris. Councilman Radtke noted the mention of an additional ambulance to the budget, and he questioned Ms. Varney as to how this fits in with the original transportation cost, where the plan was to hopefully break even. Ms. Varney replied that the replacement of two chassis is in the current budget. They put away about $300,000 a year into the Capital Improvement fund to fund the replacements, and they are at about a break-even point, assuming they stick to the plan of replacing the chassis at five years, and the ambulance later. Councilman Radtke stated he is in favor of additional ambulances and firefighters, but he wants to make sure they are staying within the budgetary parameters set forth for the program. He understands the need for having the additional ambulances so they can continue services when there are vehicle breakdowns. Ms. Varney clarified that when Chief Edmond talked about adding the sixth ambulance, it is not in the budget at this time but is a future project they want to investigate and determine how to fund. Councilman Radtke questioned whether they would have to fund the program differently if that additional ambulance is added. Ms. Varney replied that in her current analysis, there would not be funds available to cover that ambulance; however, part of the plan is to look at other ideas on how to fund it, and that is why it is a future project. Councilman Radtke questioned Mr. Moore as to whether the City has a certified arborist on staff when they are pruning trees. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that the City does not have a certified arborist on staff, but they encourage their staff members to become certified. He noted they have all the knowledge, credentials, and experience to do so. He assured they have the ability to call in a certified arborist at any time the need arises. He explained they follow the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for tree pruning. Within those parameters, it is specific to municipality, which is Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 15 different than pruning trees elsewhere, because the primary purpose is to elevate the tree so that emergency vehicles can drive underneath the trees in the right-of-way. It takes five to seven years to complete one rotation of tree pruning throughout the City, so when a resident has their tree pruned after five to seven years, it could be a dramatic change. He assured they are all pruned to a standard and are all healthy. He explained a branch with foliage cannot be lower than 15 feet, and the specifications require the tree must remain symmetrical, so they are required to go to the other side of the tree and remove a limb that may be higher or lower to meet that symmetrical requirement. Mr. Moore stressed they are well aware of emotional attachments that residents have with their trees, and they take great pride to make sure the trees are pruned correctly per ANSI standards. Councilman Radtke noted the trees in his neighborhood were pruned a couple of years ago, and there were concerns from his neighbors about how much was removed. He added that a lot has grown back in two years, and he felt the trees look better now. He understands they must do this for safety reasons for the residents and for the vehicles. He questioned whether there is any way they can help the tree inspectors become certified arborists. Mr. Moore replied they have had those internal discussions, but at this time he is hopeful to work with their team and steer them in the right direction. Councilman Radtke questioned Chief Dwojakowski about the concerns he shares with Ms. Wright about becoming an overwhelming surveillance state. He felt the FLOCK camera system goes too far, and it creates a constant web of surveillance. He does not doubt that it is a highly effective tool but questioned whether it violates peoples’ rights to privacy. He does not feel this type of information is data they want to have stored in a police station, so he is absolutely against it. Councilman Radtke referred to Chief Dwojakowski’s comment about how they currently obtain video from residents who have RING doorbell cameras that may have caught a neighborhood crime; however, he pointed out that data can be obtained with the permission of a resident, but this Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 16 is about public cameras surveilling residents. He felt if they are going to have this system where they gather data from these cameras, it should be kept seven days or less. He would like to remove this item from the budget so they can gather more information on it before making a decision. He felt this is a severe privacy violation, and he did not feel most residents were even aware this would be discussed this evening. He questioned whether the information they obtain from these FLOCK cameras can be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, such as where cars are going or where they are coming from. Chief Dwojakowski replied he and City Attorney Marc Kaszubski have started working on this. They believe the number of searches and how the police are using it would be, but the actual individual plate with the GPS location would not. He cited the example question of whether someone has seen Councilman Radtke’s car and requested the dates, times, and GPS locations, and stated that would not be FOIA-able. Councilman Radtke inquired why certain information is FOIA-able and other information is not. He knows that a 911 call is FOIA-able with the redaction of certain information. Mr. Kaszubski replied there are certain exceptions, one of which is police activity and the methods in which police officers do their work, and that has been upheld through the FLOCK system in several states. The information is only given access for police investigative purposes, and an open investigation precludes FOIA ability. Once it is purged after thirty days and no investigation is started, that information is gone. Moved by Radtke, to remove the FLOCK Cameras from the budget for a period of ninety days to gather more information. Motion failed for lack of support. Councilman Radtke had previously requested a budget amendment to look into the zoning map and the City’s Zoning Ordinance. He stated he is willing to put off that request as long as they are willing to discuss it at the Strategic Planning follow-up in June, and hopefully come up with a plan as to how they might want Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 17 to change their zoning. He suggested they may then create a plan for next year’s budget to attack it in an effective manner. Mayor Taylor asked Mr. Vanderpool if there is any reason this cannot be added to the discussion in June. Mr. Vanderpool felt it is appropriate for a discussion at Strategic Planning. There are a number of topics on the agenda for that session, and he recalled Councilman Radtke had raised this issue at the original Strategic Planning session, so it is appropriate for a follow-up. Mayor Taylor felt that would be appropriate, and he would like to see the changes Councilman Radtke would like to see before he would be willing to allocate $300,000 in funding. Councilman Radtke felt this would give them the opportunity to get more information, and City Planner Chris McLeod can go back over some of the topics. Councilwoman Koski questioned Chief Dwojakowski as to the specific duties of the five new officers in the Crime Division. She questioned whether they will be going out into the neighborhoods, or whether they will be working on traffic issues only. Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry that the officers will be fully uniformed and will be driving in marked police cars. They may be assigned to a subdivision where there has been a lot of crime reported, or it may be in a commercial area where they have had reports of thefts or destruction of property. If they have excessive speeding complaints in a certain area that their traffic division cannot get to, they will place these officers on traffic enforcement to write a lot of tickets. He envisioned using these officers in all these ways, and he anticipated their schedule will most likely be on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons and evenings, which is when most of their calls come in. He assured they will be completely supplemental to their current staff. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether there are any plans to keep their park trails safe. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 18 Chief Dwojakowski explained that during the Covid pandemic, they saw unprecedented use of the City’s parks. They had to start an overtime detail of their police because they do not have enough officers to patrol the trails and go into the parks. He assured they will continue to do that, but he noted there are two new Community Service officers, and this will be part of their summertime job because schools will be out during the summer months. These two officers will be able to patrol the parks on a much more consistent basis, affording two to three times the coverage they have ever had. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether they will be using the Police Explorers for any type of additional patrol during the summer. Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry that the Police Explorers help with the Memorial Day Parade and Sterlingfest. He reminded these are 14- and 15-year- olds, so they do not want them walking alone and getting involved with patrol. He indicated they dress like police officers, but to keep them safe, they are used in highly directed situations. He replied to further inquiry that their department has hired several of their former Police Explorers as police officers. Councilwoman Koski has received complaints about panhandlers. She questioned the department’s plans and procedures for handling this type of activity. Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry that they have seen a big uptick in this type of activity, and it is not unique to Sterling Heights. He has talked with his Executive Command Staff, and they have talked about the best way to address this. He explained it is illegal to enter the roadway to ask for money, and it is illegal to stand in the right-of-way between the curb and the sidewalk to ask for money, stressing it is dangerous and blocks traffic. They understand, however, if someone is down on their luck or homeless, they need money, so they are trying to balance protecting those who truly need help and support by handing out resource cards to these people. The cards tell them how to get housing assistance and financial assistance, but if they do not adhere to the rules and laws of Sterling Heights and the State of Michigan and continue to enter the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 19 roadway, they will be cited for that action. They are training their officers to be compassionate while educating the panhandler, adding it is legal to do, but they want to make sure they do not get hurt or injured. He replied to further inquiry that if the person panhandling truly needs help or support, they will get the social worker involved. Chief Dwojakowski pointed out, however, that some of those people do not want help and want to be left alone. Councilwoman Koski recalled having cameras in 2012 similar to the FLOCK cameras, and she inquired as to why they were discontinued. She asked if there were any complaints or problems. Chief Dwojakowski explained the data coming from one car was not very much, and the camera system broke four times in the three-year period. The seven agencies involved were going to put their license plate data in the same system, but the data was terrible, the cameras were breaking, and seven cameras was not enough for the Macomb County area. Councilwoman Koski inquired as to who would have access to input this information. Chief Dwojakowski explained the officer would type in the plate and the vehicle description, and they would also have to enter in why they are looking for that license plate. Every officer in Sterling Heights or any other community participating in FLOCK will receive the alert that the specific plate is wanted. The officer must then read the box which states why it is wanted, such as “possible connection to attempted homicide in Sterling Heights.” He reiterated any officer can enter a plate, but a reason must be provided. Councilwoman Koski commended Chief Dwojakowski on the great job he is doing, and she stated she is pleased to see the different programs. She is also excited about having a Deputy Chief. Councilwoman Koski asked Fire Chief Edmond about the plans for a sixth ambulance in the future and what their plans would be. Chief Edmond replied they are trying to vet out how they could use that one ambulance for recruiting but also handle their high number of calls that are low Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 20 acuity. They would hire EMT basics who would serve as their farm team, and they could eventually get them to Firefighter Paramedics. A lot of the calls to which they would respond would be to their senior facilities. He clarified it is not in this budget, but it is what they are looking toward in the future. Councilwoman Koski felt this is a great idea, but she would like to see them hired as Firefighter Paramedics so they can fill in wherever needed. Chief Edmond stated they will take what they can get, and if someone applied as a Firefighter Paramedic willing to work forty hours, he would take them, and eventually trade that person up to a fifty-six-hour week. Councilwoman Koski felt it is a great service they need, and she relayed a recent incident that happened to her friend. She had fallen, and the Fire Department responded but had to break the door down to get to her. She suggested the Fire Department advertise the Knox Box System and how residents can get one. Chief Edmond explained they have two programs: a commercial program for a KnoxBox, and a residential KnoxBox. He advised they are both on the website, but he offered to put a video together they can put on the website for that program. He explained it allows the Fire Department to have a key to a residential facility in a secure box, and they only have access to that secure box by punching in their ID number for the City, and they keep a record of who gets into that box. There is a main key in every fire apparatus that allows them access to those boxes. He replied to further inquiry that he would have to look up the cost. He believes that information is on the website, along with the application. Councilwoman Koski asked Mr. Moore about painting the fire hydrants and when that is done. Mr. Moore replied they paint hydrants every summer, and they generally hire a few recent high school graduates each summer to paint them. He stated they budget funds each year in the Water Division to have fire hydrants painted as well. He clarified they have 7,000 hydrants, and they paint about 500 each year, so it can ten to fifteen years to get through them. He noted they receive a handful of requests to have their hydrant painted, and they add them to the list. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 21 Councilwoman Koski understood that there have been some installation problems with the new water meters because of trouble with the water shut-off valve. She inquired as to whether there is anything citizens can do to be prepared in the event something goes wrong during the installation. Mr. Moore assured the contractors are certified trained staff in plumbing and they know how to shut off the water, so they know how to move to the next valve should there be a problem. He added the contractors have their own staff as well as the City employees, and they are available 24/7 to shut the water off at the curb in the worst-case scenario. They are typically able to shut it off in the house without flooding the basement. He replied to further inquiry the water is shut off to the entire house in order to install the meter. In most cases, it is shut off in the basement, not at the curb. Councilwoman Koski inquired as to when they are finding that homes have problems with the shut-off valve, and whether it is in the older homes. Mr. Moore replied they cannot tell. Some homes have older valves that could potentially be leaky, but some of the newer valves can do the same thing. Councilwoman Koski noted that DPW is getting a new chipper, and she inquired as to how much they charge if a resident would like a tree cut down. She asked how they schedule it, and what does the City do with the wood chips. Mr. Moore replied that the chipper will be predominantly for severe storm damage. DPW no longer chips branches at the curb for a fee, and that service is contracted out. If residents should want to received chipping from the City, he believed the rate is approximately $65 or more per half hour of chipping for a reasonable pile. The resident can call DPW, schedule through the contractor, with DPW serving as a facilitator. The contractor takes the wood chips, and he does not believe they are available for residents. He added when DPW does their chipping from storm-damaged branches, they take their chips to a company near 15 Mile and Mound. Councilwoman Koski commended Mr. Moore on doing a fine job, and she added she likes their new building. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 22 Councilwoman Ziarko thanked everyone for the time they put into the presentations. She questioned Mr. Moore as to what a resident can do if they are not comfortable with an outside company coming into their home to install a new water meter, but they would be happier if it were a City employee coming into their home to make the change. Mr. Moore replied they would prefer and desire that residents go through the contracted company, but it is an option for a City employee to do the installation. He assured the contracted company has been vigorously vetted through the Department of Public Works, and additionally, any employee of the contractor who installs the meters is vetted, meets certain criteria, and has a background check through Human Resources before they are given permission to work for the City as a contractor. If someone is still uncomfortable with a non-city employee, the DPW will make accommodations for them, assuring they want to work with the residents. Councilwoman Ziarko suggested another option for someone not comfortable is to call DPW and let them know they have an appointment scheduled on a certain day, so they are assured it is not a scam. She questioned the morale of the employees who are working in the new building. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that the morale of the employees is great and has been that way for a long time. He stressed they have a great group of highly intelligent, dedicated, hard-working employees who truly care and want to do a great job. They take a lot of pride in “making normal happen in the background” so people can go on with their lives. He estimated that almost three-quarters of their staff have signed up to use the new employee gym before work or after hours. He admitted working in DPW is a tough job with long hours, and they have no second shift, so many times it is a sixteen-hour day, but they are truly appreciative of the new building. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether residents will be able to go directly into their bill to see their usage. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 23 Mr. Moore replied to inquiry that is the goal, but they have yet to finalize the details of that software program. They want to get to monthly billing first, then they will begin to unveil the technology aspect. They want something simple and create a video that residents can watch to see how they can access their bill. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned who trims the trees in the right-of-way on county roads. She lives on Schoenherr and does not believe the trees along there have been trimmed more than three times in at least ten or fifteen years. Mr. Moore replied to inquiry the City’s contractor maintains all the roads; however, there are a few provisions in the contracts with the County and State as far as annual reimbursement for services performed. In some ways their hands are tied as to how much they can provide in the way of service, based on the amount of reimbursement they receive. He commended his colleague Erik Skurda has done a great job in increasing that amount, where they will receive additional funding back. He hoped they can pay attention to some of those major roads and get more of them done. Councilwoman Ziarko stated she is excited about the idea of hiring extra EMT’s or Paramedics to work during the high-volume times. She questioned how the union feels about this proposal. Fire Chief Edmond replied to inquiry that it is being negotiated. He clarified the ambulance is not in this year’s budget but is something they are looking at for the future. Councilwoman Ziarko felt a farm team is an excellent idea and compared it to having internships withing City Hall. She agreed with Councilwoman Koski’s suggestion to start another KnoxBox campaign to let people know they are available. She felt repairing a door that is broken down when emergency access is deemed necessary will cost more than having a KnoxBox. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned Chief Dwojakowski as to the locations of the twenty-two FLOCK cameras, and how they determine the locations. Police Chief Dwojakowski replied they want to capture the greatest number of cars into and out of the City from the north, south, east, and west. He anticipated Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 24 most of them will be placed at intersections because there are existing poles they can use. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned on how they focus on only the license plate, since there are so many heights and views of it. Chief Dwojakowski stated he helped Utica with the grant in 2012, so he is very familiar with license plate reader technology. He explained there is artificial intelligence and an infrared camera that takes a crystal clear black and white image of the license plate even at subsonic speeds. It blows up the license plate in black and white, but it also takes a color image of the vehicle and overlays the two images together. The black and white image has the license plate number and when the officer gets a hit on their system, an alert noise sounds. When they pull it up, there is a giant image of the license plate. Before the officers can do anything with it, they look at it closely, because it will clearly mark the state in which the license was issued, along with the license number. The officer will have to understand they have to verify the image of the wanted plate is that of the actual car in front of them, including the license number and the state in which the license plate was issued. They must know the reason it is being alerted. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned why the system does not provide the license plate in color as well, which would help identify the state as well. Chief Dwojakowski explained all images contain the name of the state written on the plate. He has not yet seen FLOCK’s full print-out, but there is a full color image, but it is taken further from the vehicle, so they may not be able to see the direct color of the plate. He informed they use a black and white image of the license plate because it is so precise. A very clear picture can be taken even in total darkness with the infrared illuminators on the camera. Councilwoman Ziarko recalled Chief Dwojakowski had mentioned that the City’s FLOCK system will interact with the FLOCK systems used in other municipalities. She inquired as to whether the FLOCK system interacts with all their other systems they use. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 25 Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry it is a stand-alone system, so it would not go into their records system or any other system. It would not integrate with anything else. Councilwoman Ziarko noted there are communities in other states that can issue a speeding ticket, or a traffic violation ticket based on a camera, and she questioned whether that would be a reason that FLOCK would be used. Chief Dwojakowski replied no. He stated it is illegal in Michigan to have “red light” cameras. The FLOCK cameras would not do that. He replied to further inquiry that it could help them identify a car involved in a hit-and-run accident if a witness indicates it was a certain make and model car, and they go to FLOCK and discover there is a vehicle of that make and model at the same intersection within a minute after the accident. He cautioned, however, that at that point, it would only be considered a possible suspect, so they would contact that driver and ask them if they saw anything. It would be considered an investigative lead. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether it would identify someone driving under the influence. Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry that it could, but if it is after the fact and they do not find that car until later that night or the next day, they do not know who was in the car at that time. If it occurs, and they enter it into the system, an officer two miles away may see that license and the comment box indicating they are wanted for possible OWI enforcement. That officer could verify that vehicle is swerving in and out of traffic, but they would still have to do their due diligence like any other drunk driving stop, and they would have to have reason to stop that car. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether the FLOCK system can determine whether a motorist involved in an accident had been speeding immediately prior to the accident, based on the location of the two cameras and the time it took them to travel that distance. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 26 Chief Dwojakowski replied there is no speeding data on FLOCK, although they may be able to go back, but timing it would be difficult. He added he has never heard of FLOCK being used for that purpose. Councilwoman Ziarko is in favor of the Deputy Chief and inquired as to whether than has been negotiated with the union. Chief Dwojakowski stated it is being negotiated. Councilwoman Ziarko has no problem approving the budget with these cameras. She would like some more questions answered, but she reminded they are not purchasing them tomorrow, so they have time to talk about it and inform the residents. She questioned whether the residents will know where these cameras are being installed. Chief Dwojakowski replied they may show dots on a map where the cameras are located, but he would like to investigate best practices for this, and they may indicate there are “twenty-two cameras placed throughout the City.” Councilwoman Schmidt stated she is on board with the Deputy Chief position, adding it is well justified. She is looking forward to having some relief for Chief Dwojakowski. She inquired as to what time frame they are looking at to implement the ReDirect program. Chief Dwojakowski replied they had a meeting last Friday with the Macomb County Prosecutor, FAN President Linda Davis, himself, and representatives from Livingston County, as well as New Jersey, where this program is already in existence. He added it has been used very successfully, adding it is a diversion program. The problem is how they do this program, who is getting the people off drugs, and how is it paid for. It is complicated and expensive, and it takes time and programming. They want to determine what types of crimes would be eligible for this diversion, and whether they are diverted at the time they are arrested or after the arrest. He added the question is what happens if they do not follow through with the treatment, and whether they then go through with the original charges. He hopes they can get this program up and running in the coming months, so they are working on it. He replied to further inquiry that with Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 27 the drug court, the arrest takes place and the person arrested goes to see a judge. The Judge will offer to dismiss the list of charges if they are willing to go through the entire course of treatment. He explained the difficulty with that, including a lot of resources and money. A drug court could be used in combination with the diversion program. He cited an example and noted that in Livingston County and in New Jersey, they actually call someone from the program to the scene. The police gather the individual’s data, write a full report and the charges, but they get the individual treatment right there, with the promise being that if they do not follow through with the treatment, the police will follow through with the charges. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether their social worker would be involved. Chief Dwojakowski replied she could be involved, but the question is who will come out to the scene at all hours of the night. In Hope Not Handcuffs, they have “angels” from Families Against Narcotics (FAN) who come out, fill out the intake sheet, and they determine where to send them. He questioned who the “angels” would be and who funds it and fills those positions. He explained that is part of the $2 million grant that FAN was able to secure. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she would be concerned with this program if their social worker had to be involved, because she felt there is enough work to keep two social workers busy. She added the social worker is doing a phenomenal job, and she expressed concern about “burning her out.” She addressed the issue of the FLOCK cameras, and stated she is all in favor of being proactive. She felt that the cameras in 2012 may not have worked very well, but there has been ten years of technology upgrades, so they have come a long way. She does not see it as an intrusion, but it is “another tool in their toolbox to catch the bad guy.” She noted Ms. Wright mentioned the question of whether this will be used for illegal immigrants. She questioned whether the FLOCK system will be used to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 28 Chief Dwojakowski replied to inquiry that it will not be used that way to his knowledge. He explained they have a “hot list” that the State of Michigan issues every day, and when the officers start their shift, they log in to FLOCK and it will upload the most current version of valid plates wanted. He noted a lot of those are wanted for very serious felony warrants. He cited an instance in 2012 with the old system where he got a hit, and the request was from Homeland Security for a known terrorist in this vehicle, including the name of the driver. He stopped the car, and it was the individual named. The comment section on the State’s “hot list” indicated not to detain him, but “stop and ID.” He assured if someone is here illegally, that is not one of the reasons it would be entered into the system. Councilwoman Schmidt inquired as to whether the County has FLOCK cameras. Chief Dwojakowski replied that Macomb County is moving forward with the program, and the Oakland County Sheriff has some cities within their policing boundaries that want them. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned how often software updates will need to be purchased. Chief Dwojakowski explained it is $2,500 per year for each FLOCK camera, and this is the lease fee, which covers everything. If something goes wrong with the cameras, FLOCK fixes them, and they provide the software updates at no extra charge. He replied to further inquiry that this amount will be coming out of the Forfeiture Funds. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she is comfortable with this, and what it is utilized for will keep the community safer. She noted in the Warren Consolidated School District, they have one resource officer who covers Sterling Heights High School. She is aware he also covers two other high schools in the community, which are Community High School at Hatherly Educational Center and the Career Prep Center, as well as the two middle schools, Grissom Middle School, and Carleton Middle School. She stated the Warren Police Department has two school resource officers funded, one housed at Cousino High School and one Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 29 housed at Mott High School. She felt it would only be fair to approach the school district about funding a second school resource officer. She stressed Officer Campau has done a great job, and he has been working long hours following up on threats. She felt it is the least they can do to make sure they have enough coverage for the schools in this community. She requested that Chief Dwojakowski and Mr. Vanderpool speak with Dr. Livernois to see if that can happen, not for this budget year but for the future. She pointed out that when those officers are off for the summer, they can then patrol the parks or serve on bike patrol. Councilwoman Schmidt asked Ms. Varney about the administrative fee on the quarterly water bills, and questioned whether that amount will be divided monthly, or whether they will be charged the same fee every month that they were charged quarterly. Ms. Varney replied to inquiry that the quarterly fee will be divided into three, so each month they will be paying one-third of the quarterly administrative fee. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned Chief Edmond how often the CPR training will be offered to residents. Fire Chief Edmond replied they are developing it and will be rolling it out this summer, so he cannot provide an answer on that at this time. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she is a CPR instructor at Warren Consolidated Schools, and she has former students contacting her about being recertified. She cannot do that in her building, but she indicated she will have them contact the Fire Department. She liked the idea of having a farm team, adding that a lot of their firefighters originally came from Universal Ambulance or other ambulance companies and are now paramedic firefighters. She felt it is a wonderful opportunity for them. She suggested possibly Community Relations can put together a flash video about the KnoxBox, and it would be good to have it on social media in addition to the website. Chief Edmond stated he did some quick research on the KnoxBox, and the cost is about $28 plus shipping and handling. He added they have a video about the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 30 KnoxBox on the City’s website, but he assured they will do a better job of trying to get out the information through Facebook and other social media platforms. Councilwoman Schmidt stated they have a department that can help with that. She questioned Mr. Moore about the fire hydrant painting, noting she has a fire hydrant in front of her house, and she cannot remember it ever being painted. She questioned whether they have ever considered a program where families could “adopt a hydrant,” go to the DPW building to get all the supplies to paint their fire hydrant. Mr. Moore stated that is a great idea that they can explore, but he explained the DPW would have to supply the material because it is reflective paint. Councilwoman Schmidt understands it seems devastating to see trees that are freshly pruned, but she added that the City’s tree pruners do much better than those hired by DTE, who hollow out the insides of the trees. She is glad they stick to standards on the tree-trimming. She thanked everyone for all their hard work on this budget. She explained that she has a prior commitment for next Wednesday, and she will be out of town for a conference that she helped to organize, and it was scheduled before Warren Consolidated Schools decided to have something on the ballot, requiring City Council to move their meeting to Wednesday. She will therefore not be here for the budget adoption, but she is in full support of the budget as presented. Mayor Taylor thanked Mr. Moore, Ms. Varney, Chief Dwojakowski, and Chief Edmond for their presentations. He indicated there was a lot of great discussion tonight, and he stated he will keep an open mind on the FLOCK camera system, although he would like to know more about it when it eventually comes back to City Council. Councilman Radtke stated he has a couple more questions. He asked Chief Dwojakowski about something he read about the FLOCK system that they can not only search by make or color of the vehicle, but also by bumper sticker or unique feature of the car, like a luggage rack. He questioned whether Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 31 theoretically they can search for all cars that have “Trump” bumper stickers, for example. Chief Dwojakowski clarified they can be searched by a “unique identifier,” but that might be a sticker on a car, and it may not be able to be searched based on what is on that sticker. Councilman Radtke stated the website indicates they can also search by “associated vehicles,” and he requested an explanation as to what that entails. Chief Dwojakowski replied “associated vehicle” may be a plate that is related to a plate that is known or wanted. He replied he is only guessing what the website is referencing, but it could be that the owner of a plate that is wanted may have a second vehicle registered in his/her name. Councilman Radtke stated that, according to the website, it is “a car that was seen in the vicinity with another car several times through the process.” He referred to it as a “legalized dragnet” and expressed concern that it could potentially impact any car seen in the vicinity of the wanted car within the last thirty days. He understands that the Sterling Heights police officers are very diligent, but he felt if this is made legal, there will be people caught up in it that have nothing to do with it, potentially leading to undesirable outcomes. He talked about a lawsuit where there was an error in the license plate information put into the system by the Detroit Police Department, and that individual was pulled over and arrested in this community based on that erroneous information. 7. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for comments from citizens, but no one spoke. 8. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool stated he had nothing further to add this evening. There were no comments from the Mayor or City Council members. 9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 10. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 11. CLOSED SESSION Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Page 32 Mr. Kaszubski stated there are no items for Closed Session this evening. 12. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, to adjourn the meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk