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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/26/1999 Work Session . MINUTES OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING HELD MONDAY, APRIL 26,1999 The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, April 26 at 5:09 p.m. with Mayor Maine presiding. Present were Mayor Maine and Councilors Ballew, Fitch, Leiken, Lundberg and Simmons. Councilor Hatfield was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Tim Harold, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, Administrative Aide Shari Higgins, Police Chief Bill DeForrest, Crime Prevention Coordinator Loretta Wilson, Public Works Director Dan Brown, GIS Coordinator Brandt Melick, Engineering Technician II Bob Ketwig and members of staff. Also present was Jake Wagner from the University of Oregon, Community Planning Workshop. 1. A COPS Problem Solving Partnership - Final Report. Police Chief Bill DeForrest introduced the topic and Crime Prevention Coordinator Loretta Wilson. Ms. Wilson presented the agenda and introduced the project team. Written information was provided showing the Powerpoint presentation, Loitering and Disorderly Conduct in Downtown Springfield. City Wide Crime Statistics were also provided. . Ms. Wilson said the collaborative effort of the COPS Downtown Problem-Solving Project was to study Loitering and Disorderly Conduct in Downtown Springfield. She said the project goal was to address identified concerns expressed by downtown merchants. In 1997, the grant was received by the Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. In January 1998, the project began by compiling the project team, beginning project meetings, and reviewing the survey design. Ms. Wilson explained the analysis methodology, study area, and survey findings in detail. Ms. Wilson reviewed the topics ofthe Downtown Project; COPS Grant history and methodology; the project study area, analysis and survey findings. Project Manager Jake Wagner from the University of Oregon, Community Planning Workshop, discussed the survey findings in detail and introduced the topic of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Ms. Wilson shared CPTED photos, before and after improvements were made. Mr. Wagner reviewed the response phase of the study, including lighting and outcome measures. Public Works Director Dan Brown provided comments and gave the history of downtown street lighting. In 1980, the lighting was upgraded to its current level. In 1989, the city responded to the Springfield Downtown Association's request to budget $150,000 for ped-Ievellighting and other improvements. The funding was ultimately spent on other improvements, but not on lighting. . Mr. Brown said in 1994 and 1995, the discussion ofped-Ievellighting occurred again and council decided "not at this time." Further council action on replacing "yellow" lighting occurred in 1993, 1994, and 1995 and each time the City Council said "not now." Mr. Brown then explained that past councils have been stynlied by the cost and the lack of funding possibilities for changing lighting. Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/26/99 Page 2 . Engineering Technician II Bob Ketwig showed two software lighting design tools that were purchased with grant funding. He reviewed the tools and showed a sample test project. Brandt Melick, GIS Coordinator showed an application, the Police Desktop Mapping Support. He provided an overview of the application which connects to the Regional Land Information Database (RLID) and Area Information Record System (AIRS). Mr. Melick said the strength of the program is in compiling the information and analyzing properties which come from a land use data base, not just crime statistics. He showed search tools and the ability to generate maps. He said there are still data base issues to solve and the application is not totally complete, but it will highly benefit the Police Department, especially the Crime Prevention Unit. There was a discussion of application and how it was constructed. Councilor Lundberg asked how close to completion it is in terms of using regional information. Mr. Melick said the system is close to functioning completely with regional information and shared other components of the total program, such as nuisance enforcement, CEPTD, etc. The presentation was completed. Ms. Wilson thanked the City Council and invited them to look at the pictures which were displayed in the meeting room. ' Mayor Maine announced the City Council Summer recess would occur August 3 through September 12, 1999. ~ . Mayor Maine also announced the results of the council survey on the work session meeting time. With a majority of the councilors preferring the 5:00 p.m. time, the Mayor said consensus had been reached: The 5:00 p.rn. time is for work session meetings on the second and fourth Monday's only. The first and third Monday work sessions prior to the regular meetings will still begin at 6:00 p.m. 2. Team Springfield Update. City Manager Mike Kelly provided an informational hand-out on who the members of TEAM SPRINGFIELD are, the purpose of the meetings, and common agenda themes. He said the meeting schedule rotates. Every other month the highest elected official and chief executive officer of each organization meet, then on the other months the chief executive officers meet alone. Mr. Kelly discussed meeting agenda topics reviewed and what items will be discussed at the upcoming meeting on May 14. Mr. Kelly reviewed the upcoming topics to be discussed: May 21 Community Event; Springfield Tomorrow; Springfield Charter; coordination of ballot levy calendars; and Springfield Renaissance Development Corporation. Mr. Kelly then referred council to page two of the agenda item summary, concerning future topics. He asked for input on those topics and for additions of any others. Councilor Ballew spoke of duplication efforts in the areas of purchasing and printing, and possibly engineering, maintenance and payroll. She felt the city has a lot of expertise in those areas and felt raising the topic would be appropriate. . Councilor Simmons suggested community disaster preparedness. He suggested contacting local agencies, including the Red Cross to help the community prepare. Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/26/99 Page 3 . Councilor Lundberg suggested continued citizen involvement for Neighborhood Associations and discussion on how they mix with existing Neighborhood Watch Programs. Councilor Leiken spoke of a community sports park like a recent one constructed in Grants Pass. He felt TEAM SPRINGFIELD could generate ideas and then private businesses and citizens could become involved to construct a project and turn it over to the WiIlamalane Park and Recreation District. Councilor Fitch asked about the Springfield Tomorrow project time line. Mr. Kelly said it would be a three month project, beginning the summer of 1999. He said the cost is estimated at $7,000 with an even split anticipated between the participating agencies. For the newer members of the council, Mr. Kelly provided an explanation ofthe previous Springfield Tomorrow process, including Phases I and II. Mr. Kelly said the project would include focus groups, testing information during three town hall meetings, drawing preliminary findings and conclusions, then verifying the outputs with a community survey. Councilor Simmons suggested adding a component where youth can participate. Mr. Kelly said the city is seeking a summer internship of a local teacher who could assist with the project and complete much of the daily work. He said the project would be launched in May with leadership input from the city and it's partners in TEAM SPRINGFIELD. . Councilor Fitch said she would remain a member of the Springfield Renaissance Development Corporation (SRDC) and would keep her roles as City Councilor andSRDC member separate. Councilor Simmons discussed the Springfield Charter, cautioning the city about revisions and suggesting input and community support, not decreasing voters rights. Mr. Kelly provided background on past Charter update efforts. He said a large issue is enumerated powers versus a more general grant of powers. The city will need to work with SUB and he said they had recently asked that a Charter Review Committee consisting of citizens, councilors, SUB Board members, etc. be formed. Councilor Ballew said the City Council subcommittee consists of Councilor Hatfield, Councilor Simmons and herself. There was a discussion of the interest level of the council on specific Charter Update issues. Councilor Maine said the topic of the city moving to a two-year budget had council support. Council members asked for a report on the benefits and savings, plus staff time saved. Mr. Kelly said he is moving toward a more result oriented budget, that would allow the City Council to discuss accomplishments each year versus spending so much time with a formal budget process. Mayor Maine closed the topic by saying the membership of TEAM SPRINGFIELD is good and the group is working well together. She said the limited membership was not meant to preclude input from other groups or other community members. . Councilor Fitch said she received a call from a citizen regarding Pot Belly pigs. She asked staff to provide her, and other new council members, with background information. Councilor Simmons said he would not be supportive of Pot Belly pigs as there are many other current high level issues to consider. Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/26/99 Page 4 . Mr. Kelly gave a reminder about the May 1, Joint Work Session at Lane Transit District. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins ATTEST: . '. ~'1A~ Maureen Maine, Mayor /