Committee Minutes

MINUTES/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Monday, June 28, 1999 - 4:30 p.m.

Members present: Bakken, Bouley.

1. Request for variance to noise ordinance:
a) North Dakota Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon on August 21 and 23 for recruitment
events.
Dominic Easton, 2520 University Avenue, at Sigma Phi Epsilon, stated they have planned two recruiting events that include bands in their yard on those night, which will be fenced off and monitored on those nights between 8:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. It was stated they are a social fraternity that offers members a leadership opportunity and looking for members to help in their community service projects (Grand Forks Mission is big recipient); there will not be any alcohol on their premise. It was noted that their closest neighbors are fraternities - behind is student residence and across street is parking lot. Committee stated they had problem with 1:00 a.m. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve request until 12:00 midnight for August 21, 1999, with approval for 23rd contingent upon no complaints on 21st, and subject to police and fire departments. Motion carried. (comm. only)

2. Application for carnival permit by Greater Grand Forks Fair & Exhibition Assn for
July 15-20, 1999.
Bob Amundson, manager of Fairgrounds, reviewed application for carnival permit for July 15-20, 1999 and that since he turned the application in and he is asking that be extended from the 9th through the 20th; that the carnival people have requested that they move in early and open on 9th with a “sneak peak” and have negotiated down to the terms that can agree on but have to expand the permit so they would be here for 12 days. It was noted that both the police and fire departments have signed the application for permit. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve the application for carnival permit for July 9-20, 1999. Motion carried.

3. Request from YMCA to hold race.
Bob McWilliams, membership and race director at YMCA, stated that their event is the Firecracker Half Marathon and requesting use of the city streets from approx. 7:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 4, and will be using the downtown area, Lincoln Drive area and south on Belmont and Chestnut, same course they’ve used for past several years and will have volunteers spread out throughout the course, set up by 7:00 a.m. by the courthouse. It was noted if there was a problem with construction, however, the area is better than last year and they will keep everything on the courthouse side and no construction three blocks south of that. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve the request to hold the race as requested. Motion carried. (comm.only)

4. Matter of job descriptions for police department.
This item deleted from agenda.

5. Request from police department to lease 2 Ford Explorers and purchase one parking
enforcement vehicle.

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Lt. Kirby stated they had awarded bids to Rydell Chevrolet for two vehicles which they were unable to deliver, that they re-evaluated their needs and put out RFP’s for two sedans or two 4x4’s and a parking vehicle for downtown parking. They received three proposals and would like approval to purchase two Ford Explorers on a 3-year lease, at $18,182.35 for those two vehicles over three years, total lease expense would be $54,547.00. He stated that Cushman has the market on downtown parking enforcement type vehicles, and their bid was $15,995 and would like to purchase that vehicle outright (life span 5 years or longer). Both the purchase and lease would fall within the funding they originally set aside for the 2 Chevy Luminas and gives cushion for some maintenance expenses. He also reported that Capt. Kjelstrom made some inquiries re. postal vehicles through the Post Office, but nothing available. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve request for the vehicles. Motion carried.

6. Request from Health Department for quotations for steel case office furniture.
Don Shields, Health Department, reviewed request for office equipment, that they will use the present steel case equipment that’s been purchased in 1995 through 1997 time frame and purchased off State contract; that they will be reusing all of that furniture but the office location and office space has changed and are in need of some lefthands, etc. and reconfiguring the pieces, and asked for approval of a sole source of Steel Case because they want to match the existing equipment. He stated he did contact other Steel Case vendors, ie., company in Moorhead, but they verified that this is the geographical area for Steel Case and Gaffaney’s is the vendor and would not provide a bid for that. He stated he would be bringing back the prices and this is part of the move expense for the Public Health Dept. into the County Office building. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve request for quotations on sole source bid, contingent upon approval by the city attorney. Motion carried. (comm.only)

7. Matter of grant agreements with State Health Department:
a) Maternal Child Health (MCH) Grant
Mr. Shields reported this grant is for $74,032 for period July 1, 1999 through June 30,2000
b) Assurance for Federal Financial Assistance Agreement.
c) Care Coordination Grant Agreement
Mr. Shields reported the grant agreements for a) in the amount of $74,032 and c) in the amount of $25,000 are on-going grants for several years. He stated that Maternal Child Health grant covers immunizations, home visits, education for women and children; and c) is being asked to be expanded to a regional basis to include counties of Nelson, Pembina and Walsh and is care for kids of special needs, and for period July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000. He stated that the b) Assurance for Federal Financial Assistance is a two-year assurance agreement and is on file in Bismarck for all federal reimbursement for health that are received by the department. This provides some restrictions (auditing, lobbying) and agreements and grants have been approved by the city attorney. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve the grant agreements as presented. Motion carried.

8: Applications for games of chance:
a) St. Mary’s Church and School - raffle 7/31/99
b) Grand Forks Athletic Club & Boxing, Inc. - site authorization
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1) Ramada Inn, 1205 N. 43rd Street.
c) Red River Snowmobile Club - site authorization 12/21/99
It was noted that a) and b) have been reviewed and approved by the city attorney. Moved by Bakken to approve a) and b) and to approve c) pending review and approval by the city attorney. Bouley seconded the motion. Motion carried. (comm.only)

9. Matter of review of variance to noise ordinance - Kenny’s Music Shop, 2001 S. Wash. St.
Lt. Kirby stated that to his knowledge, no complaints; Bakken stated they would leave to the police department to notify committee if there are complaints. Information.

10. Request for fire truck.
Pete O’Neill reported they had a fire truck in the 1999 budget, unfunded, and it doesn’t appear that there will be any general fund money to cover that truck in 1999, Chairman Bakken had talked to the city auditor and were able to find some money in the Loan & Stabilization fund, and would like to go ahead with the purchase of the truck. He stated he has a committee working on the specs. for an off-the shelf commercial style fire truck, which they believe they can buy from $190,000 to $200,000. He stated they will also need another truck in the year 2000. He asked if they could allocate the money in the Loan & Stabilization Fund and would bring specs. back in two weeks. Mr. O’Neill stated that at the Simplot fire it became very noticeable that they need more equipment, at height of the fire they were down to the city being protected by a 1970 gas engine fire truck; and that they were also using their mutual aid agreement with East Grand Forks, but uncomfortable with being down to one truck to protect the city.

Chairman Bakken stated they had discussed this before the fire, and during Simplot fire showed we had some weaknesses in our system for fires of that magnitude and for next years are going to need equipment that can get into these bigger buildings (incl. Aurora, County Office Building and Corporate Center) and equipment needs are going to change. Asst. Chief O’Neill stated they may be back in a couple years looking for a new aerial truck, that the 85 ft. aerial is a 1975 edition and have put a lot of money into it, and newer aerial piece is a 65 ft. which doesn’t fit all of their needs, and maybe looking for a 100 ft. or 120 ft. and talking close to $1 million within the next couple years but now trying to fill their pumper needs. He stated they wouldn't get rid of any of their trucks right now, put them in cold storage for emergency use. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to authorize allocation of funds out of Loan & Stabilization Fund for the fire truck. Motion carried.

11. Budget amendment :
a) Health Department - $896.00
Mr. Shields reported this is unanticipated revenue from Children’s Services Coordinating Comm.from January through March, and they are requesting to put that into the budget and use that for related office equipment purchases. Moved by Bouley and Bakken to approve the budget amendment. Motion carried.

Moved by Bouley and Bakken to adjourn; meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Alice Fontaine, City Clerk

Dated: 7/01/99.