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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-22-1996 Meeting I I I PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - October 22, 1996 3:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. sconyers, Mayor; H. Brigham, Chairman; zetterberg, Vice-Chairman; Kuh1ke and Mays, members; Chief W. L. Maddox, Fire Department; Bat. Chief Dennis Atkins, Fire Department; Lewis Johnson, Central Services Director; Jim wall, Attorney; Linda Beazley, Interim Administrator for Administration; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle, Gale Mino of WBBQ Radio, George Eskola of WJBF Television and Hon. Lee Beard, Commissioner. The Clerk: agenda. One is also discussion We have a request for two additions to the discussion of chiller operations at the Jail of the 5,000 gallon diesel tank for E-911. and Mr. Wall: Could we also add to the agenda discussion of the court's orders? Mr. Kuhlke: I so move. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Central Services Director requesting approval of the professional service contract with Precision Planning, Inc. for rerouting of underground conduits from "C" to "B" building at the Law Enforcement Center. $191,000.00 is available in the 1996 budget for this project, was read. After a short discussion, Mr. Kuhlke: I move for approval. Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Johnson: I have an item about the 5,000 gallon tank that was postponed from last week. I got the final figures for this tank installation from Meco in the amount of $35,275.00, which would be a $6,360.00 savings. The original figure was $41,637.00 and this would provide a 14-day supply of fuel at the E-911 Center. Mr. Wall: This could be paid from 911 fees. After a short discussion, Mr. Kuhlke: I move approval. Mr. Zetterberg: I'd like to see the Sheriff and the computer people work together to solve the problem of making the center self-sufficient. I second. The Clerk: This is for the bid award to Meco. I Mr. Chairman: Yes. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Johnson: The other item I have concerns the chiller problem at the Law Enforcement Center. We have two chillers that were installed in 1982. One of them had an oil seal to go out and we called Trane in on an emergency basis and they started tearing it down and found shavings inside the casing. Trane is going to charge us a minimum of $5,000 just to tear it down. Once they find out what's inside they might fix it free or they might charge us for it. We don't know yet and they can't tell us anything. This is an emergency because if the other chiller goes down, some people in the cells down there will suffocate. The cost might be as much as $15,000 to $20,000. I'm requesting that we let Trane go ahead and find out what's wrong with it and let Peter Menk, who is on-site also, put an I-beam up in the ceiling to lift that equipment out. Some of the work we can do ourselves. I'll have to get back with you on the total cost when I find out. Mr. zetterberg: I'll move for approval. Mr. Kuhlke: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I The Committee next discussed proposed electronic monitoring system for jail inmates. At this time representatives from Community Corrections Corporation and BI Corporation appeared before the Committee regarding the above matter and made a presentation outlining the advantages and uses of an electronic monitoring system for jail inmates and pre-trial detainees. After a lengthy discussion, Mr. Zetterberg: by ourselves. We'd have to bring in the courts, Solicitor and talk about how it could be done. We can't do this the DA and the Mr. Wojciechowski: We have already talked with Judge Hamrick and he seemed pleased with it. Mr. Wall: I know that Judge Hamrick is concerned that it will not be long before the State stops funding the probation services insofar as misdemeanors are concerned. You probably need to anticipate that this is coming in the future. After further discussion, Mr. Zetterberg: I'd like to make a motion that we have these gentlemen come in and speak to the full Commission and brief them at the next meeting and also that the Mayor send a letter to the courts, to the District Attorney and to the Solicitor's Office and convene a high level meeting that at I I I I least gets the Mayor, Judge Fleming, the Solicitor's Office and Mr. Craig talking. We should be a part of that as the Public Safety Committee and then maybe out of that meeting could come some workers who could put together a program and hopefully develop a pilot project within the community to see if this is the direction we want to go in. We should look at the offender program, the electronic monitoring, the management and all of the things that these folks can provide. Mr. Mays: I'll second it. Mr. Wojciechowski: We would propose that we would run a no- cost pilot program to see it in action if you would like. Mr. Kuhlke: The Mayor might want to meet privately with Judge Fleming prior to asking them to come to the Commission meeting. Mr. Zetterberg: Yes, that's a good idea. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Wall: I wanted to be sure that everyone had received a copy of the court order and to point out a couple of time mandates that are in this order. One is the move to RCCI and I understand that we are underway insofar as hiring the personnel to take care of that move. I spoke with the Mayor yesterday about the deten- tion council and since that has to be done by November 1, which is prior to the next Commission meeting, I think the Mayor has the intention of moving forward with the appointment of that committee. We also have the provision in here of providing two guards per shift on each of the floors of the Jail. It invites us to confer with the court on the fulfillment of this requirement and I'm not sure at this point how many additional personnel will be needed. The Mayor and I talked yesterday and we figured about possibly 16 additional people over and above the 10 already hired. This must be done by November the 15th. Mr. Kuhlke: If we don't take some action today, he won't be able to comply with that. Mr. Wall: That's my concern. In the other order we provided for four rovers on each floor and I'm hoping that those rovers will count toward these guards. We do need to clarify this, however. I make a motion that we let after discussion with Judge that we need to. the Mayor confer Bowen and take the Mr. Kuhlke: with the Attorney appropriate steps Mr. Zetterberg: Second. Mr. Wojciechowski: We also have a jail management system which eliminates the need for additional personnel as you're discussing now. Mr. Kuhlke: How quickly could you have a proposal on that? I If this would be an alternative, before Mr. Wall confers with the Judge, it would be helpful to him to have that in hand so that he could review it. Mr. Wojciechowski: We could have that in the morning. Mr. Kuhlke: Perhaps you can get that to the attorney. We could still have a report from the attorney on the agenda. Mr. Wall: We'll let you know what action we take. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission NWM I I