Committee Minutes

MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Monday, May 24, 1999 - 4:30 p.m. _________

Members present: Bakken, Bouley, Martinson.

13. Matter of police building funding.
Mayor Owens stated this matter came up very quickly today and that she has been working on this with the police department for several months, to get more room in that building particularly for the Emergency Center which has outgrown where they’re at but they don’t want to move out of there because it’s good to have those services together when they have a disaster of any kind and need a building with a lot of standards that they don’t have in another building. She stated she has visited with the Chief, County and Sheriff and talked about putting the two departments together, that there has been some resistance to that but it’s one of our opportunities - as the Sheriff’s Department lost their building and is very workable with the two people who head those departments at this time and a cost savings to our taxpayers. She stated that basically she is supporting an additional to the police building so they can have Sheriff’s Office in that building, Emergency Center, PSAP; that they have the property, and would support wholeheartedly, She stated there are a lot of infrastructure projects that need to be covered under the cost matrix by the CDBG funds; that they do not know if they are going to be able to make them work within the timeframes they have, and if there is funding which has not been allocated by deadlines for obligating funds, would highly recommend that one of the top projects be the addition at the police building in order to combine those departments, and is definitely flood related because Sheriff’s Department has no home and also need more space for Emergency Mgmt.

Chief Packett stated they would support the Mayor’s proposal before the committee, the displacement of the Sheriff’s Office due to the 1997 flood, the movement of the EOC to higher ground when have to deal with water problems, the equipment that has been destroyed in the past in the basement because of the flood, and on-going needs to expand their own facility, and feels timing is right to look at sharing facilities with all the agencies they can. He stated they have about $750,000 ear-marked for the year 2000 for remodeling or adding onto the building, EOC has about $1.2 that’s unfunded to work on their facility, PSAP has a need for expanded space, timing is excellent to look at an overall package of a genuine law enforcement center for the County and have all the agencies under one roof.

John O’Leary, Urban Development, reported that what happened after the flood was that Congress waived a lot of regulations that normally come along with CDBG funds, and one of the regulations is that they can’t use CDBG money for public improvements such as City Halls, police departments, fire halls and that was waived; but only applies to initial funds that we have, that we have until the first week in February to obligate the last of the $171 million, have obligated the first $50 million by the first week of July of this year, that has already happened. The remaining funds are tied up in lot of infrastructure projects throughout the community, and it is prudent to allocate a line item within the budget for infrastructure contingencies because when bid in the first couple months of the project period, there is a line item in there but having the money in infrastructure contingencies does not count as an obligation, and what is being suggested today is that in January 2000, would be in a position to obligate those funds and would
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have to be under contract by the first week in February or they are lost, no chance of extensions, so if choose to do this, it’s one way to position yourself and if it looks like there’s going to be funds left over in any of these contingency accounts and this is sizeable amount of dollars here, would be in a position to go ahead and grant a construction contract for this project. The way it might be done is to set up a selection committee to select an architect, the architect would actually design an addition, get ready to bid and sit on the bid package until late in the summer and bid it at that point with bids due perhaps in December with a sixty-day acceptance or rejection clause in the bids, and when January comes will have a much better handle on what your actual costs are going to be for all the projects across the board, and then transfer money from wherever need to transfer it into projects like this that are ready to go, where plans and specs. are done, the bid is there and only need to award the contract and give the construction company 365 days to complete it because that will obligate the funds and all have to be expended by a year after that date, February 2001.

Martinson asked if they would lease the space back to the County; Chairman Bakken stated it’s a trade, that our Health Department is moving into the County building and Sheriff moving into our police building. Chief Packett stated that EOC has an unfunded $1.2 in their CIP for 2000 or 2001, and do have a funded $750,000 that they currently have for 2000, and probably talking about a $3 or $3.5 million project. Mayor Owens stated that all the money is allocated but in January need to look at it and that there may be some projects that can’t get started, and could go to this project which is ready to go; that if all the projects are started, this would be secondary.

Martinson and Bouley moved that we authorize the selection committee to select an architect for the design and bidding of the project, that the architectural fees in the event the project does not proceed would be paid for out of CBDG admin. Motion carried.

Mr. O’Leary stated that the selection committee would negotiate fees with the architectural firm, and only thing left would be construction management and supervision.

1. Application for Class 8-1 Kraft Field beer license by Grand Forks Baseball Club Concessions, Inc. ______________________________________________________
It was noted that the application had been reviewed and approved by the police department and the city attorney. Mark Reinhiller, general manager of the ball club as well as general manager of the concessions club, noted that council won’t be meeting until June 7, and asked if a special council meeting could be held so he could serve alcohol on the June 4 baseball event. Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve the application for on-sale beer license. Motion carried.

2. Request from Shriners to hold ceremonial parade on June 5.
Tom Hanson stated he is chief of staff of the Kem Shrine and they would like to conduct their ceremonial parade on Saturday, June 5, assemble at N. 8th Street and 2nd Avenue North, and proceed along University Avenue from North 8th Street to North 25th Street, that they are moving
this out of the downtown area because of construction activity this year, but intention in the
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future to move this parade back downtown and East Grand Forks. Chief Packett reported that
staff has done a preliminary review of this plan and approved it contingent upon the help of auxiliary people with the traffic. Moved by Martinson and Bouley to approve the request of the Shriners. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

3. Request from Kosmos to use Pillsbury Park for fund raiser and variance to noise
ordinance on June 5 or 12._______________________________________________
Amara Gutierrez Rodriguez, Vice President of Kosmos Youth Board, presented request for a fund raiser at Pillsbury Park for people in Kosovo on June 12, they would close off the park and have three entrances and charge $5 fee to enter, ids necessary because for people who are jr. high age and because under 21, alcohol would not be able to come in. Event would be held from 12:00 noon to midnight and would have bands playing. She stated they have talked to the Red Cross and they will be collecting the money. Chief Packett reported they’ve done a preliminary review of the proposal and their concerns would relate to same ones committee has received calls on recently with the University Park and those types of functions of noise levels, neighborhood impact, etc. but preliminary plans seems sufficient to them. Don Shields stated the health department had no concerns. Ms. Rodriguez stated that the Park is about three times bigger than Kosmos and they fit 150 in Kosmos. It was noted that directors from Kosmos would act as security.

Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve the request contingent upon discussion with police department re. security and not proceed beyond 11:00 p.m. on June 12, and contingent upon health inspections. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

4. Request from American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 6, to distribute poppies on streets and
business areas on Saturday, May 29.__________________________________________
Moved by Martinson and Bouley that permission be granted. Motion carried.

5. Request for parking variance on streets surrounding soccer complexes on June 4-6
during annual soccer tournament.__________________________________________
Chief Packett reported that staff reviewed this and have no objections. John Thompson, traffic engineer, concurred with that. Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve the request for parking variance on June 4-6. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

6. Request for bids to move Health Department and Northeast Human Services Center
joint move to new County Office building in November, 1999. ___________________
Don Shields, Health Department, and Lynn Bingham, rep. Bob Sanderson, director of NE Human Services, stated they wanted to do a number of things in new County Office Building in terms of cooperating on trying to reduce costs and request for bids for joint move to try to get a better price on that package. Mr. Bingham stated this will be the first step they take and will be significant one in terms of trying to show that multiple governmental units can work together to try to get best cost effective service. Mr. Shields stated they will bring those bids back to committee for consideration. Moved by Martinson and Bouley to authorize the Health
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Department and NE Human Service Center to call for bids. Motion carried.

7. Budget amendments:
a) Knight Foundation Grant - $300
Mr. Shields reported this is an additional grant that was procured through the Grand Forks Herald and the Knight Foundation to put immunization reminders throughout the city.
b) Care Coordination Grant - $755
Mr. Shields stated this is a reimbursement from the State for training a part of their Care Coordination training that has occurred this spring.
c) Communicable Disease - $1,400
Mr. Shields stated this is a Kids Health Matters - funding for staff from GF Housing Authority; and asked for review and approval of the budget amendments. Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve the budget amendments. Motion carried.

8. Request for RFP’s for new radio system for police department.
Rahn Farder, police department, stated they are asking to do an RFP for a new police department radio system, current system and most of mobile units are 1985 models, repeaters are 1985 models. Hestated that they don’t make parts for them any longer, can get replacement parts for now for some of it but once those items are used up in inventory, no longer able to repair their radios and repeaters. He stated they would like to include because of changes going on with the State radio system which has undergone a study and they are going to be calling for an 800 megahertz digital system, and with RFP they would be looking more at a system that would meet their needs. He stated that one of the problems they’ve had on and off for years is dead spots in town, building penetration, that fire department recently went to an 800 system to take care of building penetration problems and it’s been working fairly well.

Bakken questioned getting a mixed/match of radios throughout the city and if we’re going to be buying systems, want systems that work together, and that they work with other agencies in the city to make sure these systems integrate. He stated that PSAP has a concern about this too.
It was noted that the police department received portable radios, and that’s one reason why they would like to look at a system where they could keep those compatible.

Bakken asked if there was a funding source for this. Chief Packett reported they have a current vehicle need, that 6 or 7 vehicles need mobiles, that they can purchase current technology for about $36,000 which will carry them over until the next year or two, but didn’t want to do that without looking at all the options out there; that there is a possibility upfront before they RFP these things, of getting some proposals from local vendors in the area of $100-120,000 which would transition them to an 800 system utilizing current portables plus 800 mobiles, and if went to a County-wide system all agencies on the system, an outright purchase of that could very well be $2 or 3 million ; but what they are looking at here is transitioning towards a trunk system, and have actually put that in the RFP that would allow them to use portables temporarily transition with other agencies, build on the system for a number of years. Bakken asked if when do the

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RFP that they could do some continued pricing as we grow. Chief Packett stated that radio people say that technology changes so much it’s difficult for them to give much of a
commitment, and it’s one of the advantages of RFPing a leased system, where every three or four years they update it.

Pete Eggimann, PSAP, stated he can and will support the need to make some changes, and what he really wants to support is a plan that will tell them where they need to be 5 years down the road or 10 years down the road, where they can buy into. He stated one option they could consider would need to have some work don on it, but under the Home Rule Charter you have some options available as a City to taxing, one of which would be increasing the 911 surcharge, which is currently at 50 cents, and increase that to $1.00 that would generate about $300,000 or more in revenue which would be enough to finance the backbone portion of a wide area radio network, and that might allow the departments to concentrate their money on the radios they need in the vehicles and allow PSAP to maintain the backbone. He stated that in the RFP process that they can get a glimmer of long term plan should be.

Moved by Bouley and Martinson that we accept the request for RFP’s for a new radio system. Motion carried.

9. Request for RFP’s for police department vehicles.
Chief Packett reported that Rydell Chev. was unable to deliver the two Luminas in this year’s bid package, that they accepted the bids of three Crown Victorias from Hansen’s and two Luminas from Rydell, and since they still have a need for two additional patrol units, and staying within the spirit of the council’s desire to look at a variety of vehicles and packages in the future, they would request that the committee’s permission to put out RFP’s for a lease purchase package on either two sedans or two four-wheel drive vehicles with a three-year ceiling and a $1.00 buyout at the end of that period, and also a parking enforcement vehicle, preferably a right-hand drive or a Cushman type vehicle for parking people. It was noted that funding is in their budget.

Moved by Martinson and Bouley to authorize the police department to seek RFP’s for the requested vehicles. Motion carried.

Bakken stated that he would like to see these sooner next time so have chance to review before the meeting.

10. Applications for games of chance:
a) Tufte Manorettes - raffle 9/18/99
b) ND Agri-Women - raffle 10/29/99
c) Grand Forks Athletic Club & Boxing, Inc. - site auth. at Rumors, 1826 S. Wash.St.
d) Greater GF Convention & Visitors Bureau - site auth. at 414 Gateway (Charlie Brown’s)
1210 N. 43rd St. (Holiday Inn), and 1708 Mill Rd. (Bun Lounge)
It was noted that these applications have been reviewed and approved by the city attorney.
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Bouley asked to be excused from voting on item c), and Bakken and Martinson so moved. Motion carried.

It was moved by Martinson that applications for games of chance be granted for a), b) and d). Bouley seconded the motion. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

Bakken and Martinson moved that the application for c) be approved. Motion carried; Bouley abstained from voting. (Comm.only)

11. Matter of police impound lot on Fenton Ave. and Mill Road.
Lt. Sieber reported that committee had asked that they return to discuss the vehicle impound proposals and options following their annual auction that was held this last Saturday, that the auction was a success, that all the vehicles have been auctioned as well as the bicycles so the lot is vacant at this time, building is vacant and which will serve their immediate needs, that they are still in need of a long term solution for vehicle impound and bicycle location and the neighborhood would look for a long term solution for that building as well. He stated that the proposals he had given to them at last meeting were as follows: 1) to purchase two acres of land at $8,000/acre and fencing at $13.75/ft and put a building on it that would house the bikes, $93,160 option; 2) if found land they would not have to purchase and bring it down to $77,160; 3) to purchase land and fence it, hoping they could move into the School Dist. building on N. 3rd Street when that becomes available to the City - $23,160; and 4) there is some property north of Simplot the City was purchasing for borrow pits for future use for dikes and if use two of the 50 acres, and brings closer to town, fence an area at that location - $17,160. He stated that he received a call from Meridith Richards, Urban Dev., that they have a price to move two quonsets and move to a site for bicycle usage, and then finding the 2 or 2.5 acres they need to fence in. Bakken stated they have more homework to do, but do have a couple buildings they can move and use. Lt. Sieber stated that if allowed to, maybe concerns with engineering about that property north of Simplot, and how much of that they would be using, and maybe get 2 or 2.5 acres out of that 50, and would serve needs better and move those quonsets a shorter distance. Bakken stated they need to get more information and bring it back. Bouley stated she couldn’t see options 1) and 2) being reality at all, and asked that they get this over with and out of Riverside Park area. Lt. Sieber asked if they should go with an RFP to see costs involved in this, but Bakken stated they have rough idea of cost; and no source of funding. Lt. Sieber stated he talked with Saroj Jerath in financing and she thought she might be able to come up with some funding. Committee held the matter for 2 weeks for further information.

12. Report on miscellaneous items by John Thompson, traffic engineer.
John Thompson stated he had a matter of information on recovery management, that engineering department has about an 11 page list of projects they are working on, and has been absent from the last three meetings and wanted to apprise committee with a list of pending public safety items which he reviewed with the committee, some small investigations and some larger projects related to corridor studies that have been delayed to the University Village and Engelstad Arena, along 32nd Avenue and Columbia Road, and some are requests from members
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of the committee and that he wanted to report that they are still on the docket but not completed.
He stated he will be updating this on a weekly basis and bringing these item back. Martinson stated that the left hand striping on 13th Ave. S. and Columbia is faded away; Mr. Thompson stated that restriping started this week.

14. Applications for games of chance:
a) Development Homes, Inc. (site authorizations)
1) Hwy. 2 (Westward Ho Entertainment)
2) 1607 DeMers Avenue (Diamond Lounge)
3) 1503 N. Washington St. (The Broken Drum)
4) 309 N. 3rd Street (Kelly’s Bar)
b) Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre (site authorization)
1) 1970 S. Columbia Road (Borrowed Bucks)
c) Special Olympics North Dakota (site authorization)
1) Hwy. 81 North (Bronze Boot)
2) 805 N. 42nd St. (Speedway Lounge)
3) 1405 DeMers Avenue (Big Daddy’s)
d) Sertoma Club (site authorization)
1) 4223 12th Avenue North (GF Goodribs) (University Park)
All applications had been reviewed and approved by the city attorney. Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve the applications. Motion carried (Comm. only)

15. Matter of Kenny’s Music Shop.
Kenny Holweger stated he represents Kenny’s Music Shop and Job Express and requesting a noise ordinance on Wednesday nights for the entire summer from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with live music outside, that he has a small park to the south of his business on Washington, would be non-alcohol event for families. Martinson stated that there was a complaint that came through the police department a week ago; Chief Packett stated this was a cause for service where an officer was dispatched due to the loud music, and they were asked to turn it down, and did comply. Mr. Holweger stated that 70 decibels is about as loud as the traffic, and that one of the reasons they had a complaint was that they had speakers facing the south, and need to face west towards Washington (across street on 14th there is an apartment building). He stated they are having various types of acts all summer. Chief Packett stated that maybe a reasonable start would be rather than full summer, a number of weeks and see how that works out and expand later if it works out. Moved by Bouley and Martinson to approve for a period of four weeks on trail basis pending no complaints. Motion carried. (Comm. only)

16. Various items:
1) Bouley stated there is stench in Riverside Park area of town depending on breeze; Mr. Shields stated that when they have that odor to give him a call and they will check it.

2) Bakken reported that when pull out of parking lot by Best, right turn only sign, and need to have someone sit there and enforce that - between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.
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3) Bakken stated that with police reserves, that he is very interested in enhancing that and for fire, volunteer firefighters, and heads up to start thinking about and working into systems. Chief Packett stated they would like to increase and put together a register for fall; Chief O’Neill stated he would like to sit down and talk with Mr Bakken.

Moved by Martinson and Bouley to adjourn; meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m. Motion carried.

Alice Fontaine
City Clerk

Dated: 6/03/99