Council Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on August 13, 2013, at 1:00pm, with Peggy Henson presiding. The committee addressed four agenda items during the meeting, which included approval of a summary, discussion of tenant transition and household disposal procedures, an update on kitchen floor work at the jail, and consideration of items referred to the committee. The committee took four votes and heard four public comments during the session. Two items were deferred for future consideration, while the summary was approved and one item was presented for informational purposes only.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on August 13, 2013:

• Peggy Henson
• Kevin Stinnett
• Chuck Ellinger
• Shevawn Akers
• Diane Lawless
• Bill Farmer
• George Myers
• Jennifer Mossotti
• Harry Clarke
• Ed Lane
• Steve Kay

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included four motions, all of which passed unanimously.

Motion to Approve Meeting Summary 2:58 Chuck Ellinger moved to approve the summary of the meeting, seconded by George Myers. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Motion to Fill Vacant Positions in Division of Code Enforcement 4:42 George Myers moved to fill the vacant positions in the Division of Code Enforcement, seconded by Shevawn Akers. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Motion to Remove Division of Police Home Fleet Policy from Items Referred List 4:42 Kevin Stinnett moved to remove the Division of Police Home Fleet Policy from the items referred list, seconded by George Myers. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Motion to Adjourn 4:42 Shevawn Akers moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Harry Clarke. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Public Comment

Several speakers addressed waste management and disposal procedures during the meeting.

Shevawn Akers 13:22 raised questions about landlord responsibility for disposal during evictions. She questioned whether landlords should be required to rent a dumpster to avoid leaving household items on the curb. While acknowledging the cost burden this would place on landlords, she noted the practical need to prevent prolonged clutter in neighborhoods.

Council Member Massadi 18:40 sought clarification of special collection procedures under the ordinance. He asked whether the ordinance should be clarified to allow special collections outside of regular pickup days, emphasizing the need for operational clarity in how such collections would be conducted.

Steve Feast 38:08 explained operational challenges related to bulky item pickup. He noted that current bulky item pickup relies on a separate truck and stated that responding to all special requests would require additional trucks and personnel, particularly during peak seasons when demand increases.

Council Member Clark 52:26 made a recommendation regarding ordinance changes. He suggested that the Division of Waste Management return to the committee with a recommendation to amend the ordinance to better align special collections with current operational needs and capabilities.

Contested Items

Clarification of Special Collection Procedures

The council experienced a split vote regarding the interpretation of special collection procedures under the ordinance. The disagreement centered on when residents could request special collections for bulky items. One interpretation held that the ordinance permits special collections to be requested at any time, with residents required to provide 24 hours' notice before setting out their items on any day. The opposing interpretation required that residents provide 24 hours' notice specifically before the regular scheduled pickup day for their area. This distinction had significant practical implications for both residents seeking to dispose of bulky items and the waste management operation's scheduling and routing.

Operational Capacity for Timely Bulky Item Pickup

A heated discussion emerged regarding Waste Management's ability to fulfill special collection requests within a 72-hour timeframe. Waste Management staff raised concerns that meeting this requirement would demand substantial additional resources. Specifically, they indicated that responding to all special collection requests within the proposed timeline would necessitate acquiring more trucks and hiring additional personnel. The staff attributed this resource need to the operational inefficiency created by non-geographic routing—the inability to consolidate special collection requests into efficient geographic service areas. This meant that each special collection request would require dedicated trips rather than being combined with other nearby requests, significantly increasing operational costs and resource requirements.

The tension between these two issues reflected a fundamental challenge in the ordinance: balancing resident convenience and service responsiveness against the practical operational and financial constraints of the waste management system.

Approval of Summary

The committee voted to approve the meeting summary without dissent. 2:58

Chuck Ellinger moved to approve the summary, and George Myers seconded the motion. The summary was approved by the committee.

Tenant Transition and Household Disposal

Council Member Chris Ford introduced a proposed ordinance addressing the disposal of household items during tenant transitions, particularly in cases involving evictions. 3:37

The discussion centered on a scheduling conflict between the city's existing once-a-week bulky item pickup service and the need for timely special collections during tenant transitions. The ordinance aimed to resolve challenges that arise when tenants must vacate properties and dispose of household belongings within compressed timeframes.

Key speakers in the discussion included Chris Ford, Mike Sanner, Steve Feast, and David Jarvis. The committee explored how current waste management practices could be adapted to better serve residents facing eviction or other rapid housing transitions.

The committee determined that the ordinance required further refinement before proceeding to a vote. Rather than advancing the item, the council agreed to keep it in committee for additional work. The committee specifically requested that the city's Waste Management department provide a recommendation on how to amend the ordinance to address the identified scheduling and service delivery issues.

Outcome: The agenda item was deferred, with the expectation that Waste Management input would inform revisions to the proposed ordinance before it returns for future consideration.

Update on Kitchen Floor at Jail

Director Ballard provided an update on the kitchen floor replacement project at the detention center 54:08.

Project Management and Scope

The kitchen floor replacement is being managed by architects Brandstetter and Carroll. These firms have been tasked with identifying alternative flooring materials suitable for the detention center's kitchen facilities.

Procurement Process

The procurement process for the flooring materials is currently underway. This process will determine which alternative materials will be selected and installed as part of the project.

Operational Continuity

To maintain kitchen operations during the floor replacement transition, a remote outdoor kitchen will be utilized. This arrangement will allow the detention center to continue food service operations while the indoor kitchen floor work is completed.

Outcome

This item was presented as an informational update to the board or governing body.

Items Referred to Committee

The committee discussed several items that had been referred for further review, including provisions for shelter during severe weather, abandoned housing concerns in Frankfurt, and recommendations from the Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee. 56:49

Key speakers in this discussion included Peggy Henson, George Myers, and Steve Kay.

The committee determined that these matters required additional time for consideration and decided to keep all referred items in committee for further review rather than moving them forward for immediate action at this time.

The outcome of this agenda item was deferred, allowing the committee to continue its examination of these issues.