Committee Minutes

MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Tuesday, July 15, 1997 - 7:00 p.m.

Members present: Glassheim, Beyer.

1. Application from The Edge for special alcoholic beverage
permit for Forx Fest on July 26.
Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve application subject to concurrence from police department and city attorney. Motion carried. (comm. only).

2. Requests for permission to hold block parties and blocking of
streets:
a) 14th Ave.S. between S. 10th and 11th Sts. on August 15.
b) Shakespeare Rd. between Darwin Drive and 13th Ave.N. on
July 19.
Trena Mathis, 1117 Shakespeare Road was present.
c) Block streets at Fenton Ave. and Lewis Blvd. and Fenton
and 1st Avenue North on August 9
d) Boyd Drive between 7th and 10th Aves. N. on July 31
e) Olive Street on July 19.
Capt. MacCarthy stated police department would have no problem with any of those listed. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve requests subject to signing hold harmless agreement and coordinating with the police department. Motion carried. (comm. only)

3. Matter of complaints re. noise and litter from outdoor beer
garden at Borrowed Bucks, 1970 S. Columbia Road.
It was noted that complaints had been received from apartment complex tenants re. litter (beer bottles), PA system, etc. for outdoor events in parking lot. Reps. of Borrowed Bucks reported complaint re. sound system indoors had been taken care of, and they were not aware of these complaints. Mr. Swanson, city attorney, reported his office received series of complaints from single-family homes in Prairie Rose Court re. noise and from mobile home court, and is becoming problem for residents immediate to the vicinity as well as couple blocks away. It was noted that police officer treated rudely when responding to complaint (not known if by customer or employee of Borrowed Bucks) - rep. of Borrowed Bucks stated they have security inside their business, that they have had no phone calls since outdoor events started, would cooperate fully, and that he would like to see report from officer that was treated rudely. Capt. MacCarthy asked that they call him. Reps. stated they will do everything to cooperate.

Mr. Swanson stated he had no recommendation, but they would need to be aware of complaints so they can take steps, and also aware of impact of complaints, etc., when license renewed.

There was some discussion re. cleanup of area (parking lot, etc.)
and reps. stated they have someone out there at closing time and again at 4:00-5:00 in afternoon, they do not cross onto private property.
MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
July 15, 1997 - Page 2

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to receive and file. Motion carried.

4. Mater of grant agreements with ND Dept. of Health and Human
Services:
a) Tobacco Prevention and Control grant agreement - $20,000
b) Care Coordination Services for Children grant agreement -
$25,000
Don Shields, director of health department, reported that these are on-going grants, and asked for approval pending final review and approval by mayor and the city attorney. It was so moved by Beyer and Glassheim. Motion carried.

5. Applications for gaming permits:
a) St. Michael's Altar Society - raffle 10/05/97
b) Tufte Manor Manorettes - raffle 10/04/97
c) North Dakota Amvets Post #19 - calendar raffle 11/01-30/97.
All applications had been reviewed and approved by the city attorney. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve the applications. Motion carried. (Comm. only).

7. Matter of mosquito control - amend collection period.
Mr. Shields reported that the mosquito control program collects $1.00/mo. February through September, 8-month period, and because of flood that fee not collected during months of April and May time-frame and that fund $39,000 short and because of wet year have increased larviciding and labor that came with that. He outlined options to get through balance of the year: 1) terminate program in early August, 2) increase mosquito count used for ground spraying ; or 3) increase revenue by adding $1.00/mo. for 10 months, October and November, to make up for the lost revenue (also lost some utility meters due to loss of houses, etc.) He also noted they have additional expenses but would do some shifting within budget to cover. He stated this will also be problem in 1998 because of loss of utility meters. He reported that city attorney has reviewed and would have no problem with adding the two months. He also reported that they were going to start spraying tonight city-wide, and have expanded their larviciding area.

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to amend ordinance to include the months of October and November for collection of the $1.00 fee on the utility bill. Motion carried.

8. Budget amendment.
a) Police Department - $116,716.00
Capt. MacCarthy reported this is to reflect law enforcement grant monies; that money received because of crime rate, that this is national program, and were required to set up citizens' advisory committee, which they did. He reported funds allocated to overtime and to general equipment, they had some losses during flood that won't be covered (ie., lost 3 radar machines, etc.) Glassheim expressed some concern with no plan to use funds.

MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
July 15, 1997 - Page 3

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve the budget amendment. Motion carried.

9. Request by Kem Shrine to hold ceremonial parade July 26.
Dale Stauss stated that because of flood were asking to start parade on lot just north of Eide Auto and march down west side of Washington Street to 24th, disband and return on frontage road to parking lot of South Forks Plaza; that he had talked with Chief Paschke and he thought they would be able to do this without major disruption of traffic - that this would be short parade, about 30 minutes and early in morning - starting at 10:15 a.m. Capt. MacCarthy stated this is something they do every year, and not a problem. There was suggestion re. diverting traffic around 14th during the parade. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve request subject to coordinating with the police department. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

10. Applications for gaming permits:
a) Grand Forks Blue Line Club - site auth. renewals.
b) Ducks Unlimited - raffle 9/16/97.
The applications had been reviewed and approved by the city attorney. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim that the applications be approved. Motion carried. (committee only)

12. Matter of lease renewal with State Highway Department for lease space at police building.
Mr. Swanson reported that the lease with the North Dakota Highway Patrol for space in the police building runs on one year basis from July through June 30, and asked for committee action. He reported that the lease rate is $5.03/sq.ft. for office space, that it has been fairly consistent rate although does move up some with our utility rates; and this is adjusted rate. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to authorize the proper City officials to enter into a lease for a one year period with the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Motion carried.

6. Matter of restructuring standing committees.
Beyer stated that almost everything on today's agenda could be handled administratively; Mr. Swanson stated that the council has delegated authority to committee to act on several items and others required council action. He stated that there is shortage on one of the committees by virtue of vacancy on council, it doesn't matter which committee and if council chooses one committee over another, can do that until that position filled. He stated another possibility is to have one member serve on two committees for a period of time. He stated that one recommendation he had made some time ago was to look at whether urban development and finance com-mittees could be combined and then restructure membership, finance more akin with what urban development does. He stated he discussed with Mr. Beach that there is an odd statute that was part of the tool chest bill passed in 1993 that requires any city to do a study MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
July 15, 1997 - Page 4

within five years of effective date, which will be August 1, 1998. and the items to be looked at in the study (have done some of the land use elements), and suggested that the whole issue, including restructuring of standing committees, as well as issue on size or restructure of governing body be combined to one study to comply with the statutory requirement as well as these issues, and Mr. Beach was quite receptive to that. Committee stated that it makes sense to look at all issues at same time. Mr. Swanson stated that he suggested to Mr. Beach to look at other boards (Board of Adjustments - Board of Appeals; membership on Electrical Board and Mechanical Board, etc. combining of boards, commissions, membership on Planning and Zoning Commission or council reduced in size.)
He stated concern about effort/energy put forth now if don't do broader scope won't accomplish what's required by statute, and if going to do should do comprehensive study.

After further discussion it was moved y Beyer and Glassheim to receive and file. Motion carried.

11. Matter of study re. pro/con of contract vs. civil service for
department heads.
Mr. Swanson stated that part of discussion at meeting of council members questions asked, would it make sense to have someone from outside City to give objective listing of pros/cons of the questions, debate with re. to the chief of police, whether hire under civil service or contract. Mr. Swanson stated he will be coming back with minor amendments to the Code, but no discussion on Code itself. Committee stated higher pay for someone outside of civil service, and it was noted that pay in connection with length of contract. Several department heads spoke re. the matter, that some benefit to the civil service factor, that if department head not doing job, not difficult to remove from position - evaluation through annual review. Questions were raised how affects morale, whether more politics enter into play if under contract if only department head, perhaps should include all exempt employees; that they would have to look at each position and standards of industry; county sheriff up for election every four years. After further discussion the committee suggested they have Mr. Duquette in mayor's office speak with Dr. Kweit or someone to bring back to committee pros/cons of this issue. It was noted that directive was to make changes to job description to set up as either civil service position or contract position, and make available to council, with finance to meet prior to council on Monday evening. The committee suggested they have a joint finance/public safety meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

Alice Fontaine
City Clerk
Dated 7/16/97.