Minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners held on Tuesday, May 2, 2006 in the Lower Conference Room, 3 Main Street, Newtown, CT. Vice-Chairman Finnegan called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: G. Finnegan, D. Giannini, R. Connor, R.. Simon. ABSENT: C. Mattegat. ALSO PRESENT: Chief Kehoe, Captain Rios, three members of public, one member of press.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Jean Sander, Walnut Tree Hill Road, is concerned about ATV riders on Walnut Tree Hill and Bridge End Farm Roads. She calls the police constantly and one boy was ticketed the other day. She said some neighbors fear the father of one of the riders and she said that she was told that something might happen to her new stonewall if she complained. She said that last year Officer Bean signaled three riders to stop and they did not; he later told her he spent two hours in the woods attempting to locate them. She said they ride on CLP property in the summer and the officers said they cannot pursue riders on private property. Captain Rios asked Ms. Sander to contact him for follow up information. She said that another issue is the motorcycles that ride by her property that are in
violation. She gave a petition to the First Selectman last year and said there has been some follow up. She said that one of the riders is the father of the ATV rider that neighbors fear. Chief Kehoe said that the DMV and the Newtown Police Department will have another initiative this summer as they did last year. He said that Ms. Sander lives on part of Route 6 which riders may be using instead of the highway. Commissioner Simon said that we do not want people to feel threatened.
Tim Pelton of Holdsworth Pelton, assists businesses and asked the Commission what the issues were with the Edona Commons project on Church Hill Road. Commissioner Simon stated that traffic is a concern. Chief Kehoe explained that the Police Commission is the local traffic authority and is also concerned with public safety. The Commission makes recommendations to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Chief Kehoe said that the single access to the site is also an issue of public safety for emergency vehicles. Commissioner Finnegan said another concern is the safety of school children and bus stops at the site.
MINUTES. Upon motion of Commissioner Simon , the minutes of April 4, 2006 and the addendum were unanimously approved as presented.
CHIEF’S ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT (April, 2006). Overtime is within the monthly goal. Budget balances a transfer will be discussed later. GL Accounts were unremarkable. Fleet is status quo. Personnel two new hires are doing an excellent job at the Academy. Graduation will be on May 31 at 7:00 p.m. Officer Richter completed field training. Hiring process we completed the written and Cooper tests, interviews and conditional offers and background checks. Credit to the Detective Division. Training firearms training was completed. ATV problems are being worked on. Hilario’s is no longer a problem. Awards and Decorations ceremony will be held on May 25 at 6:00 p.m. at The Fireside. Chief Kehoe commends Captain Rios for his excellent work
for filling in for him at the Underage Drinking Seminar.
CAPTAIN’S OPERATIONAL REPORT (April, 2006) included Motor Vehicle Activity Report, DUI Report, Monthly Calls for Service and Detective Division Report.~ DUI checkpoint on Saturday at Wasserman Way and Trades Lane resulted in 6 custodial charges, 3 DUI, 2 drugs and several warnings; 750 cars passed through. A checkpoint will also be held in May, June, July and August. Liquor store compliance checks have begun. The Department will work with the State un utilizing underage agents. ATV enforcement at D’Daddario’s with the DEP was rained out and will be rescheduled. Commissioner Simon said that the Department does an excellent job on these checkpoints.
OLD BUSINESS.
Application for Edona Commons Residential Development, Church Hill Road. Traffic consultant Don Tone presented the traffic count figures taken on Church Hill Road, two way, hourly for last week. The morning peak (7:00 a.m.) on weekdays counted 1,000 vehicles and the evening peak (5:00 p.m.) counted 1,200 vehicles. On Wednesday there were 13,000 vehicles and on Thursday 12,900 vehicles. Speed for the 85th percentile averaged 40 mph going west and 43 mph going east. The driveway at the site has adequate site lines. The State requires 450 feet and there is 800 feet going left and 630 feet going right. There is also a 2:00 p.m. peak in traffic Mr. Tone confirmed with the Board of Ed Director of Transportation that buses do not go into private developments and all buses must stop on the right side
of a state highway. Mr. Tone said that the site plan will be revised to accommodate the bus stops with a sidewalk and a kiosk for the children. Chief Kehoe said we would like to see demographics of what happens to traffic when the bus stops. Commissioner Connor would like the traffic study extended up Church Hill Road to consider the Hawley School traffic. Commissioner Giannini asked that the turn counts at Walnut Tree Hill Road be refreshed. Commissioner Finnegan is concerned that people coming off Route 84 and turning left into the complex will back up traffic on the overpass
Mr. Tone said that a traffic count at Riverview was similar to what was predicted for Edona Commons. It was predicted that there would be 16 vehicles at the a.m. peak and 18 at the p.m. peak. Commissioner Simon said that many parents bring their children to school. At Riverview the a.m. peak counted 15 vehicles going out and 4 going in and at the p.m. peak 15 going in and 2 going out.
Megan Williams, 82 Church Hill Road, asked if the Police do their own traffic study. Chief Kehoe said that the study will be reviewed to see if there are any discrepancies. Ms. Williams feels that the tubes were put too close to Walnut Tree Hill Road and should have been closer to the site. She said that traffic is traveling faster than 43 m.p.h. when they get to her house. Mr. Tone said they were placed between the site and Route 84 because 84 is the main draw. Chief Kehoe asked that the 85th percentile be counted closer to Dayton Street to which Mr. Tone agreed. Ms. Williams said an experiment was conducted in which two cars parked on Church Hill Road in front of her house and people turned left at the proposed driveway. This backed up traffic on Church Hill Road.
Mr. Tone said that the boulevard that is proposed would allow access for emergency vehicles. Mr. Pelton said that pavers could be used in a boulevard so that vehicles could turn wide without impeding traffic.
Betty Fase, Walnut Tree Village, is concerned about the proposal.
Commissioner Simon moved to table the Edona Commons application until the revised traffic study is received and reviewed by the Commission. Second by Commissioner Connor and unanimously carried.
NEW BUSINESS
Review, consideration, discussion and possible action on Special Exception for changes for Newtown Shopping Village, L. P., 6 Queen Street. Chief Kehoe explained that curbing will be replaced, some electrical will be put underground and an addition will be added to a building which will eliminate some parking. He said there will be no effect on traffic. Commissioner Simon moved to accept the Newtown Shopping Village proposal as presented. Second by Commissioner Connor and unanimously carried.
Upon motion of Commissioner Connor, the item of a special exception and subdivision application at 7 Berkshire Road was added to the agenda. Chief Kehoe explained that a 7,500 square foot building for office use is proposed with no new entrance from Route 34. Commissioner Simon moved to accept the Seven Berkshire Road proposal as presented. Second by Commissioner Giannini and unanimously carried.
Discussion and action on Leave of Absence Detective Robert Koetsch. Commissioner Connor moved to approve Detective Koetsch’s request for a leave of absence. Second by Commissioner Simon and unanimously carried.
Discussion and action on Secondary Employment Request-Officer Bean. Commissioner Connor moved to approve Officer Bean’s request for secondary employment. Second by Commissioner Simon and unanimously carried.
Discussion and action on Policy and Procedure: Taser (Revised)- #3-12. Chief Kehoe explained that the policy was updated. Commissioner Connor moved to adopt Policy and Procedure Taser (revised) #3-12. Second by Commissioner Simon and unanimously carried.
Upon motion of Commissioner Simon, the item of a transfer was added to the agenda. Commissioner Simon moved to approve a transfer from account 01310-1004 Civilian Personnel $2,000 to account 01310-1007 Traffic Guards $2,000. Second by Commissioner Giannini and unanimously carried.
Commissioner’s Participation (next agenda). Commissioner Simon would like to see an update on the status of ATV enforcement. Commissioner Connor asked for an update on the Queen Street buses. Chief Kehoe said that the traffic calming committee of which he is a member is looking at regulations for traffic calming. He said there is a public hearing on the Queen Street study Thursday May 4 at 7:00 p.m. in this room. Captain Rios said that when the State begins work at the intersection of Glover Avenue and Route 302, including a protected left turn, perhaps the buses will use this route.
Executive Session to interview Probationary Police Officer Candidates. Commissioner Connor moved to enter executive session at p.m. to interview Probationary Police Officer Candidates and to invite Chief Kehoe and Captain Rios to attend, second by Commission Simon and unanimously carried. At this time the clerk left the meeting.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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