Committee Minutes

MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 31, 1998 - 7:00 p.m.

Members present: Sande, Beyer, Glassheim.

1. Request from Grand Forks Jaycees to sponsor street dance in downtown on April 25.
Lloyd Sampson, 3608 11th Avenue North, reported that the Grand Forks Jaycees are sponsoring a street dance , and is like event Grand Forks Business Assn. sponsored last year; put stage on 3rd Street next to The Edge. Capt. MacCarthy reported in past have asked that bands be done at 1:00 a.m., that Downtown Mer-chants Assn. Forx Fest shut bands down at 12:30 or 12:45, and Mr. Sampson stated he would be agreeable with that. Committee noted that the Dacotah Hotel and Ryan House are now open.

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to grant variance to noise ordinance until 12:30 a.m. Motion carried.

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve street dance along with blocking of North 3rd Street between DeMers Avenue and 1st Avenue North, and 200 block of 1st Avenue North (Riverboat Drive) and the city parking lots beginning at 7:00 p.m., contingent upon review and approval of police department and street department.

2. Application for special or limited license to sell alcoholic beverages at designated premises - Fabulous Westward Ho at Fido Purpur Arena on May 1, 2 and 3 for motorcycle show sponsored by ABATE.
A rep. of Westward Ho reported that ABATE had approached them re. providing tap beer for their event at Fido Purpur, lower level, and set up area which will be controlled by ABATE so that no one can leave area with any alcoholic beverage. It was noted this has been approved by the city attorney. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve application. Motion carried. (Comm. only)
3. Request to hold race on April 19 sponsored by UND Women's Track Team.
Dick Clay, 2013 1st Avenue North, reported they are doing fund raiser for women's track team for spring break trip next year and reviewed route only using Dyke and 1st Avenue N. and finish at Stadium and will use road guards. Capt. MacCarthy reported they have no problem and would need hold harmless agree-ment, and that Women's Track Team responsible for road guards. It was also noted that they had also reviewed with University police. Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to approve road race as presented. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

4. Consideration of bids for auction services for annual police auction to be held May 16, 1998.
Capt. MacCarthy reported they put request for bids and staff has recommended that we accept bid of Dietrich Realty & Auction Co., that they are not low bid because feel performance worth the difference and staff felt it was (about $100 dif.) He reported that Dietrich has prior experience and feel using lesser amount of police staff time.


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Beyer stated that if not going with low bidder otherwise bidding process mute point, and recommended going with low bid, Curt D. Johnson Auction Co., at 8.49%; Glassheim seconded the motion.

Don Dietrich, Dietrich Realty & Auction Co., 1915 South 34th Street, reported that they have performed auction for 14th year, some with other company, and ran auction for 7 years when no one else would bid auction. He reported that in working auction and worked with auction to move to Saturday and solely progressed from 150 to last year 370 bidders and auction last year closer to $26,000, and feel strongly because of their expertise in the last 13 years making this grow and is why now into $26,000 auction. He reported they have approached automotive junk dealers in the region to come to the auctions. He reported that the police department has 5 employees on site and get paid overtime; and if work even extra hour of time, costs City. He stated they start at 9:00 a.m. and on site at 7:30-8:00 a.m. and done by 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. and that they have done very good job and they should look at what they have done for the City. He stated he felt it was important that he attend tonight's meeting, when others didn't feel it was important to attend.

Glassheim stated in order to keep bidding process in all areas vital, like to award to low bidder unless have significant indi-cation that the low bidder can't do the job or poor history or unlikely to perform, that sounds as though Dietrich has done job very well over years, and yet have no indication that low bidder wouldn't do the job equally well. Mr. Dietrich stated they bid 8.9% and Curt D. Johnson bid 8.49% but they also bid some extra things as free flyers, extra advertising, mailers to companies that attend and is well worth more than $100, that Curt D. Johnson has figured some flyers, and that Dietrich will mail to last year's bidders and other mailers. It was noted that not included in the bid.

Capt. MacCarthy reported that bid put out stated " bids for auctioneers/ and clerking services for annual auction of found/ abandoned/surplus property" and staff felt hard to compare and felt essentially it was judgment call based on past performances.

Beyer then asked to hold this for 2 weeks, will go with low bid unless Dietrich better bid. Beyer withdrew her motion, and Beyer and Glassheim moved to hold bids until Monday, April 6, at 6:45 p.m. Motion carried. Committee asked that police department notify bidders (Dietrich and Curt D. Johnson).

5. Applications for gaming permits:
a) Lake Agassiz PTO - bingo on 04/06/98
b) Ben Franklin School PTO - bingo 04/21/98
c) Winship Elementary PTO - bingo 04/07/98
d) Altru Auxiliary Gift Shop - raffle 04/10/98
e) Application for change to site authorization by Blue Line Club - add additional 21 table.
f) The Student Aviation Mgmt. Assn. - raffle 4/17/98

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All applications had been reviewed by the city attorney.
Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to approve raffle and bingo appli-cations. Motion carried. (comm. only)

Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to approve application for change to site authorization by adding additional table. Motion carried. (comm. only)

6. Matter of specifications for repainting fire dept. pumper.
Deputy Fire Chief O'Neill reported the vehicle is a 1987 pumper, and like to keep trucks front line for up to 20 years and on reserve for another 10 or 30 years, and this truck starting to show some surface rust and want to take care of it before it gets worse, $7-8,000 to paint it and will take funding out of main-tenance and then out of carry-over from last year. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to advertise for bids for repainting the pumper. Motion carried. (committee only)

ADDED ITEMS:

7. Change order for ventilation/firing range.
Tim Manz, mechanical inspector, reported he has been assisting police department with the upgrade of the ventilation system since before the flood, and was delayed; will be few weeks before up and running. He reported that as a result of the flood some of the equipment that was delivered (originally to police department but then sent to public works facility) in several shipments and in process some of the equipment lost/misplaced, about $900 of louvers, grills, etc. are missing and need to reorder this equip-ment (no one else would have had any use for this equipment - specially sized, etc.), and can't explain what happened to it. He reported there are contingencies in the project to cover. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve change order in the amount of $900.00. Motion carried.

8. Request to close North 3rd Street from 1st to 2nd Ave.N. on
April 19, 1998 - Flood Remembrance.
Gary Christianson reported he has been serving on the Flood Remembrance Day Committee to come up with some ideas to remember the flood of April 19; one of the ideas was to build a temporary memorial/remembrance wall on the street that people can come and put notes, flowers, etc. to remember that significant day last year and are asking permission to close the street on North 3rd Street from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue North in the vicinity of the burned out block and that he has talked to property owners on the other side of the street and no problem with that. Time would probably be 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Urban Development will build and set up wall and barricades, etc.

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to approve request contingent upon approval of police department and street department. Motion carried. (comm. only)



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9. Request from Opp Construction Co. for waiver of noise
ordinance for street repair project.
Greg Opp, Opp Construction, stated they would like blanket exemption as they are not sure where fixing city streets - Washington, and on major arterial streets and get done before traffic starts, don't do in residential neighborhoods. He stated they use their good judgment - on 32nd Ave.S., Columbia Road, etc. and need to set up early in morning before traffic starts, etc. Moved by Beyer and Glassheim for approval of request to give blanket exemption to Opp Construction for variance to noise ordinance for road repair on major arterials for 1998 season. Motion carried.

10. Budget amendments.
a) Police Dept. - $65,553.00 - cash carryover for vehicle purchase.
b) Police Dept. - $92,208 - block grant funds from 1997
c) Police Dept. - $428 reimbursement from Ins. Reserve (repairs to police vehicle)
d) Police Dept. - $4,000 - Traffic Safety grant funds for RAID Program (anti-DUI program)
e) Police Dept. - $50,000 - cash carryover for purchase of telephone system.

Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to approve budget amendments. Motion carried.

11. Applications for gaming permits:
a) St. Michael's School & Home Assn. - raffle/bingo 05/03/98
b) St. Mary's School HSA - Bingo 04/04/98
It was noted that Mr. Swanson had reviewed and approved St. Michael's School ap. Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to approve applications subject to review of St. Mary's School HSA by the city attorney. Motion carried. (comm. only)

12. Matter of Multiple Sclerosis WALk on April 19.
It was noted that the WALK is on bikepaths and sidewalks. Capt. MacCarthy reported that he talked to someone from this organization and subject to route on the agenda have no problem with as on bikepath/sidewalk areas. Information only.

13. Request for Grand Forks Fun Ride to benefit the American
Diabetes Association.
Terry Chlanda, GF Air Force Base, reported that they will be staying on the bikepaths and sidewalks, have gone through the police department and they have copy of memo and route and will obey traffic signals when crossing streets. Information only.

14. Matter of request from City of East Grand Forks for fireworks display on Point Bridge on April 19, 1998.
Beyer presented request that Mayor Stauss of East Grand Forks reported they are trying to wrestle up some funding for fireworks on the night of the 19th of April, display based on
amount of money donated, and possibly be shooting off Point
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Bridge but would like approval to do that.

Beyer moved approval of request for East Grand Forks fireworks display on evening of April 19 from Point Bridge, contingent upon approval of police, fire and street departments and signing of hold harmless agreement. Motion carried.

15. Matter of grant for Grand Forks Police Department.
Chief Packett reported that they have been informed by the Department of Justice that they have approved request for 6 additional officers on the Universal Hiring Grant, $450,000, with no match from the City, and envision that these six officers will join Officer Beck since he's on grant for a total that will work in all seven of the city council wards. He stated they envision a neighborhood resource officer program, one officer in each of the wards working with the officials, neighborhood associations, and being their officer working on neighborhood problems, whether zoning code, law enforcement, etc. and excited that the Dept. of Justice has allowed them to move in this direction. He reported that as the letter indicates they can spend these funds anytime after March 1 and would envision with approval of the mayor and council these individuals could be on board as early as June timeframe, that they are currently down 9 and this would give them a total of 15 officers that would go on board this summer.

Sande asked if they had made arrangements to increase the training budget, and Capt. Packett stated that the two block grants received in recent years have been a benefit and recently prioritized the expenditures and diverting some money or uniforms, overtime money, etc. and getting more responsible at block grants and prioritizing towards programs rather than supplement an existing budget. He reported it's a three-year grant, $75,000 per officer, which pays their salaries and match other accounts on benefits.

He reported this gives a three-year time frame of being 76 and envisions will come back before end of three years during normal budget process and have council set the new authorized strength standards. It was noted that there are 61 current employees. He stated this will allow deployment into council wards and have them work directly with neighborhood forums, sit on stop light, go out to schools, zoning things, etc.

Sande asked if they had to raise the authorized strength of the department to 76, Chief Packett stated they aren't requesting that but just for awareness that beyond that strength because of federal funding. Beyer asked to see waiver of the local match, and Chief Packett stated they would do that.

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

Sande reported that the request from Gene Schneeweis will be on

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the next committee agenda, April 14, and will be chatting with Ron Fischer this week re. this item.

17. Tim Harty, 1100 1st Avenue North, (Phone #775-3481) reported that he had brought up matter but not at meeting, wondering if there's some way to reduce the traffic speeds on 1st Avenue North, everyone treats as exit ramp off Interstate and that he had called traffic engineer several times was out and available. He asked if he made inventory of signage, that there's one sign missing on northbound Washington Street just before 1st Avenue North, not sure what sign said, that there are no speed limit signs, that street is not a dead-end but possibly not a through street as cannot proceed easterly on that street. He stated that another thing he is wondering about is commercial parking lot at the end of the street, about 2 blocks from where have to turn and see as drag strip, 3 blocks to drive and another 3 blocks off towards underpass. He also asked for traffic counts re. speed. Beyer reported that the MPO owns the traffic counters and does traffic counts, but lost in the flood and just re-ordered those and that she will bring up to that group that perhaps count valuable.

Mr. Harty reported that there have been two new houses and had another one resided and the neighborhood picking up a little, could use some trees from Park Board, but no speed limit signs.

Moved by Beyer and Glassheim to refer this matter to the traffic engineer, take traffic counts, etc. Motion carried.

Committee asked police department to alert people that problem there and do random checks.

Mr Harty also noted that the red paint used to paint curbs for fire lanes - is a gloss and very slippery.

Moved by Glassheim and Beyer to adjourn; meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Alice Fontaine
City Clerk

Dated: 04/02/98