MINUTES
BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY
JULY 9, 2003
A REGULAR MEETING of the Board of Public Safety was held on Wednesday, July 9, 2003, in the Council Chambers.
Attending were members of the Board of Public Safety, Richard L. Zaharek, Robert C. Zordan, Thomas T. Telman, Jr. James E. Potter, Carolann Kennedy-Pucino, and Christopher H. Cook (arrived at 7:42 p.m.), Police Chief Roger Janelle, Deputy Police Chief Robert Milano, Traffic Officer Robert Shopey, and Fire Chief John Field.
Commissioner Kennedy-Pucino presided in Mayor Quinn’s absence, and called the meeting to order at 7:38 p.m.
MINUTES #020
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Potter, the board voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held June 11, 2003.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC #030
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Potter, the board voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public.
PATROL DIVISION & SUPPORT SERVICES REPORT #050
On a motion by Commissioner Zordan, seconded by Commissioner Zaharek, the board voted unanimously to accept the Patrol Division and Support Services Report for June 2003.
INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES REPORT #055
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Zordan, the board voted unanimously to accept the Investigative Services Report for June 2003.
CHIEF FIELD’S REPORT #060
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Telman, the board voted unanimously to accept Chief Field’s report for June 2003.
DEPUTY CHIEF’S REPORT #070
On a motion by Commissioner Zordan, seconded by Commissioner Zaharek, the board voted unanimously to accept Deputy Chief Giampaolo’s report for June 2003.
FIRE MARSHAL & TRAINING OFFICER’S REPORT #080
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Zordan, the board voted unanimously to accept the Fire Marshal’s and the Training Officer’s report for June 2003.
INCIDENT REPORT #090
On a motion by Commissioner Zordan, seconded by Commissioner Potter, the board voted unanimously to accept the Incident Report for June 2003.
BUS: DEPT. HEADS #100
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Telman, the board voted unanimously to consider business presented by Department Heads.
Chief Janelle requested permission to advertise for a job opening within the Police Department to fill the a vacant position. He informed the board that more vacancies may occur throughout the year.
The board approved his request to advertise for the job opening.
Chief Janelle informed the board that the city’s application for a grant to purchase an SUV for the Traffic Unit was approved. Eighty percent of the purchase price up to $41,500.00 would be funded through the grant. The Traffic Unit had also secured a grant for traffic safety equipment in the amount of $25,000.00. It was expected that the city would purchase a trailer to transport and store barricades, radar units, patrol vehicle light bars and communications equipment with funds from the grant. Reimbursement will be 70%.
Chief Janelle reported that the Memorial Day, Fourth of July, DUI Holiday Enforcement effort was a success. The result of the enforcement action was three DUI arrests, six seat belt infractions, 39 seat belt warnings, 32 motor vehicle arrests, 80 motor vehicle warnings and one criminal arrest. Most of the police wages for those days were covered through grants. They will apply for a similar grant to cover the Thanksgiving thru Christmas holiday season.
Chief Field indicated that they started receiving some of their equipment from the grant for the hazardous material trailer they are supposed to obtain by July or August.
BUS: MAYOR & MEMBERS #225
On a motion by Commissioner Potter, seconded by Commissioner Telman, the board voted unanimously to consider business presented by Acting Mayor Pucino and members of the Board of Public Safety.
Commissioner Zordan inquired about the status of the bidding, or rather the “lack of” bidding on the fire rescue vehicle.
Chief Field indicated that the rescue vehicle had not gone out to bid. In fact, he was informed today that it will not be going out as an actual bid but rather as an information gathering package so they can get an idea of how much they will be looking at. The reason is there is no funding for this particular rescue vehicle.
Commissioner Zordan indicated that there was a plan in place and the rescue was part of that plan, and there was $300,000.00 + set aside for a vehicle.
Chief Field and Commissioner Potter both indicated that there was $450,000.00 available.
Commissioner Zordan stated that this board voted to go out to bid during last month’s meeting.
Chief Field stated that he has been working with the purchasing agent Charlene. She was given the package to go out to bid and was putting it together. However, she informed Chief Field that it would not go out to bid but be sent out as an information gathering package instead.
Commissioner Potter inquired who told her not to go out to bid? Chief Field indicated that Mayor Quinn had directed her.
Commissioner Potter didn’t want to put Chief Field in the middle, but stated that the Mayor was going against the Board of Public Safety’s vote.
Commissioner Zordan said he thought they represented the people of the City of Torrington, and that’s what the board was there for.
Commissioner Potter stated that it was obvious the Mayor didn’t recognize the Board of Public Safety’s vote. He thought they should request a joint meeting with the City Council in order to address the issue since this matter had gone too far and too long. Commissioners Telman, Zordan and Zaharek agreed. They asked that the meeting be scheduled sooner than later.
Commissioner Potter asked Officer Shopey to look into problems at the Wal-Mart, Torringford Street intersection and the Dibble Street, East Main Street intersection in regard to the right turn on red. On a number of occasions, he had witnessed where people were almost broadsided by drivers coming out of Wal-Mart who never slowed down, and the same had occurred on Dibble Street.
Commissioner Zordan indicated that there was only enough room for one row of traffic at the bottom of Kennedy Drive, however, the line painted in the roadway indicated that there was enough room for two rows of traffic.
Officer Shopey said he was aware of the situation and explained that there was more room on the east side of Kennedy Drive to allow tractor trailer trucks to make the turn. He informed the board that the entire length of Kennedy Drive would be chip sealed and a second lane would be added for traffic going uphill. The intersection of Torringford West and Kennedy Drive would also be changed to have the turn lane as a trough lane on both sides.
Commissioner Telman reiterated that this board voted on a policy and to go out to bid, and he couldn’t understand how it had been circumvented. As a commissioner, he admitted that he was frustrated with how things happened and why the board was never made aware of certain things. He pointed out that he had repeatedly asked about the process during the last meeting and asked to see this policy, and has yet to see it. No one, with the exception of possibly Chief Field, had seen it. This had to end.
Commissioner Potter added that anything this board attempted to do during the last year and a half had been stalled, stopped, or circumvented and has reached the point where it was totally ridiculous. He indicated that other actions would be necessary if the Corp. Counsel and/or the City Council didn’t step in to help them. He didn’t think this board could do their job with the way things were going.
Commissioner Pucino reported that National Night Out was scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, 2003. Any official wishing to participate should contact Chief Janelle’s secretary.
ADJOURNMENT #510
On a motion by Commissioner Telman, seconded by Commissioner Zordan, the board voted to adjourn at 7:52 p.m.
ATTEST: Joline LeBlanc
Asst. City Clerk
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