HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Safety (Committee) - 06/17/1997 MINUTES FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTE
i.,
.TUNE 17, 7sa7
PRESENT: Jim Bennett, Chair Roger Lubovich
Tim Clark Ed Crawford
Leona Orr Norm Angelo
Meeting called to order by Chairman Bennett at 5:11 p.m.
SOUTH KING COUNTY NARCOTICS TASK FORCE GRANT ADMINJ51RATION
Chief Ed Crawford explained that the South King County Narcotics T Force has been in
operation for about seven to eight years. It is made up of employees' rom Kent, Auburn,
Renton and Tukwila. They work narcotics enforcement cases that go;ilbeygnd the city and they
work closely with the State and the Federal Government on larger ntias cases., Renton has
been the lead agency since the inception of the Task Force. This pa#t year, however,
command was turned over to the City of Kent. This means that the C ty of Kent is now
responsible for providing the lieutenant in charge of the Task Force.;01lM1th;this change, fiscal
responsibility also needs to be moved from Renton to Kent. Changi1v the fiscal responsibility
to the City of Kent will make it easier for the lieutenant to relate and work with the Finance
Division on fiscal matters. $6,000 has been allocated to the City of Int for taking over the
fiscal responsibility functions.
Leona Orr moved to approve the request and place on the July 1, 1907, City Council Consent
Calendar. Tim Clark seconded the motion. Motion passed unani , y (3-0).
BRIEFING ON EMS LEVY(- RESOLUTIQN_ ;
Chief Norm Angelo explained that every six years the County has,0p-,opportunity to renew the
Emergency Medical Services levy. This year, however, since we ai, a city of over 50,000
population, according to Legislation we must authorize the County to'put the levy measure on
the ballot. This does not mean approval of the levy itself, it simplyorizes the County to put
the levy on the ballot. The impact for Kent is significant. South King County advanced life
support services/paramedics are funded basically through this levy. �In addition, there are
certain basic life support funds that come to the fire departments. 1�does not pay for all basic
life support, but its incremental and enables Kent to mesh with the cs to provide the level
of service that this County has enjoyed for 20 years.
Angelo advised that the proposed levy amount is at 29 cents, nom,', 4 that the amount on the
enclosed resolution reads .29 which is an error and will be corn . Clark asked if that was
29 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value. Angelo adv soO it was and further
explained the process of how they come up with these figures.
• Clark commented that usually when he thinks of emergency service hiss first inclination is to
think of the junior taxing districts, but obviously this is a county-with levy and a county wide
vote. Angelo confirmed that is correct and explained that each city and even the fire districts
could levy an EMS levy above and beyond their normal levies. Thl hoes preclude anybody in
i
Minutes from Public SafetykCommittee,Meeting
June 17, 1997 f
Page 2 of 3
the county from levying against the amount that is being done here anomakes it truly a
regional service. Clark further commented this has absolutely nothin o do with our
communications system that backs this whole system up. Angelo e*cp ', that it has nothing
to do with it directly. Its a separate levy. However, the 800 MHz Avide levy did provide
funding for medics to have communications devices. But, that is a sepate levy and is due to
sunset soon. These funds come from a different source of authorizatiQ�n. Clark asked if there
is anything else scheduled as a bond or levy coming on the Novembe fail-county elections.
Angelo advised that in doing the research, the County Office of Electi was able to give them
three: 1) East Bellevue Community Municipal Corporation -whether til ontinue its existence;
2) Sammamish Community Municipal Corporation -whether to contin its existence; and 3)
Water District No. 1 - a resolution to increase the number of commiss hers from three to five.
Angelo further advised that the only other item they were aware of, which came from other
sources, is a possible initiative to go on the November ballot which weld hold any tax
increases on property taxes down to the cost of living. Clark asked if,t is a county issue or a
state-wide issue. Angelo commented that he believed it would be a s4te-wide issue. Angelo
advised that they were not able to uncover any further levy-type issue*at this time, but people
have well into July to file.
Leona Orr moved to recommend that the proposed resolution to allow the county to place the
re-authorization of the EMS levy on the November ballot be placed ori;the Consent Calendar
for the July 1, 1997, City Council meeting. Tim Clark seconded the m4t0n. Motion passed
unanimously (3-0).
Chairman Bennett commented that sometimes you really don't unded the value of having
every fire truck, police car and everything else imaginable to arrive at,*scene. And, being of
the conservative nature, he thought this was kind of a waste of time arld money. But he now
realizes that until they get there they don't know what they're up against. He unfortunately
witnessed the recent wreck on West Meeker and would have to say ihe;would pay to have
every policeman, fireman, you name it there because they worked butts off to try and save
the guy. When he finally left there had been hope that they may havojiMved him, but
unfortunately that did not happen. Bennett advised that it was just amazing the teamwork and
the hard work that went on, stating it really makes you appreciate their efforts when you're
witnessing such an event and all you can do is just stand there and.p *' Angelo commented
that unfortunately they do not have the opportunity to save them alt, reality of it is,
between the paramedics and the firefighters and the support the pol" µglivo, there is a system
out there that is so seamless, it is so non jurisdictional that the only ;fit does matter is
life. Angelo further commented that this community probably has rx4l the highest number
of alarms in general to respond to, but we also have the highest numr',of'saves. And, if it
wasn't for the Council --the thinking about things regionally, about thejperamedics and pulling
things together, this wouldn't be possible.
i ADDED ITEMS:
Leona Orr advised Chief Crawford that the average daily population number at the corrections
facility for the week ending June 8 appeared to be inadvertently left off the June 13 Mayors
a
., rin
t�44
�,, 1'
Minutes from Public SafetyiCommittee,Meeting
June 17, 1997
Page 3 of 3
Report to Council. Orr further commented that she appreciated gett"; ' oformation about
what's happening on Lake Meridian, but indicated the information vaai� 'lot exactly what she was
looking for. The Mayors Report to Council on May 31 indicated that,{ #stations were issued
as a result of contact with 35 violators at Lake Meridian. The report,Z vedeived from Chief
Crawford says no citations were issued and went on to explain the dt*wW between a citation
and a notice of infraction. Orr advised that by the end of summer she.. Id like to know if the
notices of infraction, citations, warnings or whatever are being issued,, „}het ski operators, boat
operators, water skiers, swimmers, canoes, or whatever. There has, W a very clear message
that there is concern about safety on the lake and Council needs to k, where the problem/$
stem from. Crawford advised that maybe they could break it down intetj,f6ur'or so classifications
such as 1) a boat towing a water skier, 2) a regular boat with a traditicll motor or a runabout,
3) personal watercraft, 4) what they traditionally call a jet ski, etc. Crard indicated that they
would try to come with something. Orr advised that the breakdown is Jesded because by the
end of summer they need to know who is causing the problems and wtW kind of problems they
are. Orr asked if there is a fine attached to a notice of infraction or is ' simply some kind of
warning. Crawford explained that there is,a fine just like a speeding ti Which is also a
notice of infraction.
Chairman Bennett advised that he has received a couple phone calls kerning visibility
issues due to tall vegetation at different intersections: 1) when you pu, 'out on Frager Road
taking a right on 212th -the individual said you just hop on the gas h1 ope nobody is coming;
2) on 132nd and 248th at the T in the road - if you're turning left off you have to ease out
into the intersection in order to see the oncoming traffic. Bennett ask 0,this is a public works
issue or? Crawford indicated that he would make sure it was taken qe Hof, the areas would be
checked for sight visibility and the appropriate people would be called f� omething needed to
be done. Tim Clark further advised that on 162nd, right where the stop sign is where you turn
to go in towards Lake Meridian and the beat launch, coming off 256th;, ,here you turn on 162nd,
� going up the hill and you can't see the stop sign until you're on topv �`'��,�;flrk explained that he
drove it recently and the guy has two cherry blossom-type trees the*' One,tree is just fine, but
the other has dropped down to a level where you can't see the stop until you're right on top
Of it.
Tim Clark commented that he would like say thanks to the Police and 00 gepartments for the
mock collision that was put on at Kentridge. It was a joint facility and irlg session, but it
was very educational both for the kids and the observers. Clark adA q thought it was
really a fine training program and a very dramatic overview of what a ncy services can do.
Meeting adjourned at 5:34 p.m.
klr