HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Safety Committee - 04/11/2017Public Safety Committee
Minutes
Approved May 9, 2017
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Date: April 11, 2017
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Place: Chambers East
Attending: Dana Ralph and Jim Berrios, Chair; Les Thomas had an excused
absence.
Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Changes to the Agenda
There were no changes to the agenda.
4. Approval of Minutes dated March 14, 2017
D. Ralph moved to approve the Public Safety Committee minutes dated March
14, 2017. J. Berrios seconded the motion, which passed 2-0.
5. Fireworks Plan - Information Only.
Assistant Chief Derek Kammerzell informed members on the communication
efforts for this year’s 4th of July fireworks ban. This year will be the first year
the ban will be in effect. Sales, possession and/or use are considered illegal.
Violators can be cited $250 while discharging fireworks in a reckless manner is
up to one year in jail and a $5000 fine.
The communication plan has already been introduced and will run up to the
4th of July. Highlights include but are not limited to:
Public service announcements will be on the City website, broadcast
through TV21, social media, and Kent’s AMC movie theater.
Publications include Kent Reporter advertising, Fourth of July Splash
advertising, Spring/Summer Parks Guide, the Scene monthly newsletter,
and information flyers distributed at booths and community meetings.
Signage will include Lamar owned billboards, the Commons and
ShoWare Center reader boards, street signs at high traffic locations, and
digital reader boards at major intersections.
City staff will communicate the ban at various neighborhood council
meetings and committee meetings, Coffee with the Chief, Khalsa Day
Festival, during the Public Works Week event, Relay for Life, the
International Festival, and Juneteenth.
Phone communications include CodeRed (citywide), Kent School District,
and K-Hold (caller on hold messaging).
Fire education by the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority (PSRFA)
Public Safety Committee
Minutes
Approved May 9, 2017
Page 2 of 3
6. School Zone Camera Program – Information Only.
Traffic Commander Todd Durham provided an update on the feasibility of
adding warning devices in the areas of existing school zone cameras. Warning
devices would include rumble strips, speed bumps and/or additional signage.
ATS, the school zone camera vendor, compiled statistics from the past three
years, 2014 – 2016, to determine if there has been a reduction in violations.
Statistics reported for the full three year period are:
Neely O’Brien Elementary – decrease in violations ranging from 7.3
percent to 17.7 percent.
Sunrise Elementary - decrease in violations ranging from 1.2 percent to
16.4 percent.
Public Works staff compiled information from the Institute of Transportation
Engineers guidelines on how rumble strips and speed bumps/humps impact
the City’s commute and streets. Those results are:
Speed bumps/humps:
Should only be used on streets with no more than two lanes of travel,
classified local streets, and all locations posted 35 mile per hour in areas
around schools which is greater than the recommended speed by the
Institute.
Should not be installed on any street that is considered a transit route.
King County Metro (Metro) has stated the use of speed bumps would
prohibit transit routes to being added, Neely O’Brien is on the 180
transit route. Currently, Metro is looking at potentially increasing transit
routes starting from the east hill to that area to take advantage of the
Sounder and Federal Way Extension.
Should not be installed on streets considered to be primary or routine
emergency vehicle access routes. The fire station located near Meridian
Elementary as well as other locations is considered to be an access
route by the PSRFA.
Rumble strips:
Should not be installed at all locations or close proximity to residential
properties. They are designed to be noisy to get the attention of drivers.
Commander Durham also drove past each school that has cameras. He found
of the eight camera locations there is a minimum of three warning traffic signs.
When heading north on 64th Avenue South from Meeker Street there are eight
warning signs before approaching Neely O’Brien. Cost for adding additional
warning signs, such as radar signs, ranges from $4000 to $6000 per sign.
Public Safety Committee
Minutes
Approved May 9, 2017
Page 3 of 3
7. Chief’s Report – Information Only
Chief Thomas spoke on two topics, they are:
The police department has entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s
organized crime criminal enterprise task force for Detective Ty Sagiao.
The MOU would aid in the investigations of drug trafficking, money
laundering, homicide, extortion, kidnapping, and public corruption types
of crimes. Detective Sagioa will not be assigned to the task force, rather
he will be federally commissioned federal agent. The MOU has nothing
to do with immigration laws.
Chief shared the sad news of the unexpected passing of Detective
Derrek Focht. He spent the last 12 years as a City detective and is
survived by his wife and two daughters. Detective Focht will be greatly
missed by his long-time friends of the police department family.
8. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:59 p.m. by J. Berrios.
J. Hays
Jennifer Hays
Public Safety Committee Secretary
April 11, 2017