Safe, Healthy, Connected People Commission

10/13/2020 - Minutes I. Call to Order Members Present: Kim Jordan, Mary Hussmann, Courtney Blassius, Paul Rabidoux City Staff Present: Ray Coffey, John Audy, Rick Hebert, Gwennie Talbot, Kate Nicoletty, Nate Eddy, Molly Schneider Guests Present: Call to Order by: Mary Hussmann Meeting Start Time: 6:32 PM Minutes Recorded by: Kim Jordan II. Public Comment None III. Approve Previous Meeting Minutes Decision: Approved Motion by: Mary Hussmann Second: Paul Rabidoux IV. City and Department Updates Rick Hebert, Police Chief: WPD is continuing with hiring process. One officer is serving with VTANG for a few months. There is a consistent uptick (25%) of mental-health-realted calls. Please keep an eye out for your neighbors and always call WPD for health and crisis-related calls. John Audy – Fire Chief & Code Enforcement: Some noise complaints and smoking-related in- dwelling complaints. Call volume is down 30%. Partially due to Colchester taking calls. Hired 6 new positions, and promotions will be happening too. Life safety health inspections are up and running. Please be diligent about Covid – social distance, wear masks, etc. Ray Coffey – Halloween on the Rotary: Halloween is happening soon, and display will be happening in Rotary Park. The Pumpkin Pledge is over 400 pumpkins being distributed and jack- o-lanterns will be delivered to Rotary Park. Dates are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Halloween. Will be tracking attandance and doing contact tracing at the entrance, with a maximum of 150 participants. Myers Pool: Certificate of Occupancy for Community Room! It may be used as satelite office space until new staff space opens up. Community Room will be open to the public in or around January. Thrive: Winooski livensed after-school care for Winooski students. The program has received new funding to sustain and thrive. Program Director Kate has done a lot to pivot, meet requirements, and keep kids in the program.  January. Thrive: Winooski livensed after-school care for Winooski students. The program has received new funding to sustain and thrive. Program Director Kate has done a lot to pivot, meet requirements, and keep kids in the program. Parks Plan: Was presented to City Council and they provided feedback for Omnes, including: - Recommendations should include phases of plan according to priorities and cost - More explicit link between recommendations and needs from the community Ray will go back to Omnes and share again with City Council Question from Paul Rabidoux about trick or treating. Ray Coffey responded: Neighborhood- based trick-or-treating safety protocols are being mirrored here as recommended by the VT Dept. of Health. V. Introduction of New Community Services Staff Members Introduction of New Community Services Staff Members Nate Eddy - Library Director Gwennie Talbot - Parks and Community Gardens Manager Molly Schneider - AmeriCorps VISTA Community Engagement Coordinator Kate Nicoletti - AmeriCorps VISTA Youth Programs Coordinator VI. Update on Police Department Survey Mary Hussmann and Kim Jordan from SHCP Commission discussed the WPD/Community Engagement Survey with three volunteer community members who have been meeting about policing in Winooski. Their goals/intents of having a “policing in Winooski” survey are: - Desire for transparency, accountability and data re: police in Winooski - A needs assessment to see the need for citizen oversight committee to work parallel to WPD when there are issues/complaints. - What, if anything, is needed in the community? Do people have concerns re: relationship between community & police dept. - Are there perceived biases of WPD officers? Their group will work on streamlining the survey and will get back to Mary Hussmann and Kim Jordan with the next version of the survey. Paul Rabidoux to Chief Hebert: Has WPD experienced antagonism in the past few months? Chief Hebert: WPD is not above any other community’s police department. WPD has no secrets, any and all data is available on the website, and if anyone has questions for Chief Hebert, please ask him. WPD wants to police the way the community wants to be policed. Chief Hebert looks forward to working with that group. We’re not sure how to pay for these surveys, and WPD could potentially pay for the costs, depending on what those costs are. VII. Prep for Master Plan Discussion in November It is time for the SHPC to address and make sure we’re on track with the Master Plan. Read the memo from Amy Lafayette about the Master Plan, and then read the Master Plan on the Winooski website, and report where we are in the strategic plan. Mary Hussmann will send all SHPC members the memo and a link to the Master Plan. Amy may have specific questions for the SHPC to consider ahead of time and will check in with her before sending the SHPC the email.  It is time for the SHPC to address and make sure we’re on track with the Master Plan. Read the memo from Amy Lafayette about the Master Plan, and then read the Master Plan on the Winooski website, and report where we are in the strategic plan. Mary Hussmann will send all SHPC members the memo and a link to the Master Plan. Amy may have specific questions for the SHPC to consider ahead of time and will check in with her before sending the SHPC the email. VIII. Adjourn Motion by: Kim Jordan Second: Mary Hussmann Meeting End Time: 7:21 PM