Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes 1998-11-16SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 1 IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1998 AT 8:00 PM Regular Meeting: San Rafael City Council Present: Albert J. Boro, Mayor Barbara Heller, Councilmember Cyr N. Miller, Councilmember Gary O. Phillips, Councilmember Absent: Paul M. Cohen, Councilmember Also Present: Rod Gould, City Manager Gary T. Ragghianti, City Attorney Jeanne M. Leoncini, City Clerk CLOSED SESSION - 7:00 PM: • Conference With Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9(a) Case Name: Yates, Craig & Margaret v. City of San Rafael No reportable action was taken. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS OF AN URGENCY NATURE: 8:40 PM PUBLIC ART - File 103 Linda Bellatorre, resident of San Rafael, stated that although she was not specifically addressing the issue of the mural at Third Street near Highway 101, she urged Council to encourage public art, which she pointed out had been part of the San Rafael Vision. She stated public art was part of the community, representing the community and speaking to what our community is, and what it can be about. Ms. Bellatorre stated art is subjective, it stimulates the mind and helps us to think, and asked Council to keep an open mind and try to encourage this kind of expression throughout the community. CONSENT CALENDAR: Councilmember Miller moved and Councilmember Heller seconded, to approve the following Consent Calendar items: 1 3 4 1.1 0 ITEM RECOMMENDED ACTION Approval of Minutes of Regular Meetings of Monday, Minutes approved as submitted. October 19, 1998 and Monday, November 2, 1998 (CC) Call for Applications to Fill One Unexpired TermApproved staff recommendation: on the Planning Commission, Due to Resignation a) Called for applications, of Marilyn D. Williams - Term to Expire End of with deadline for receipt of June, 2000 (CC) - File 9-2-6 applications set for Acceptance of Statements of Disclosure for Kate Colin and John Ortega, Newly -Appointed Members of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Redevelopment (CC) - File 9-4-3 x 9-4-4 x R-140 Tuesday, December 8, 1998 at 12:00 Noon in the City Clerk's Office, Room 209, City Hall; and b) Set date for interviews of applicants at a Special City Council meeting to be held on Monday, December 21, 1998, commencing at 6:00 PM; term to expire the end of June, 2000. of IVB Accepted Statements Disclosure. City Work Plan Review (CM) - File 237 Accepted report, as presented. Summary of Legislation Affecting San Rafael Approved staff SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 1 7. SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 2 (CM) - File 9-1 Certificates of Appreciation to Members of Measure J Campaign Committee (CM) - File 9-4 x 102 recommendation: Council OPPOSED proposal re: Social Security: Mandating Coverage for State and Local Government Employees. Approved Certificates of Appreciation to Barbara Heller, Norman Heller, Cyr Miller, Kathy Devlin, Mary Ellen Irwin, Herb Moran, Tom Obletz, Bob Marcucci, Ken Nordhoff, and Lydia Romero. 8. City Position Re: Changes to LAFCO Dual Annexation Council approved forwarding to Policy (CD) - File 149 LAFCO Commissioners and staff a recommendation to retain the existing Dual Annexation Policy. 9. Resolution Accepting Proposal from Harris and RESOLUTION NO. 10334 Associates to Provide Pavement Management Services RESOLUTION TO ENTER INTO AN in an Amount Not To Exceed $49,931, and Authorizing AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS the Director of Public Works to Execute the ASSOCIATES TO PROVIDE PAVEMENT Agreement (PW) - File 4-3-351 MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $49,931 AND AUTHORIZING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT. AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen The following item was removed from the Agenda for further discussion: 2. RESOLUTION DECLARING CANVASS OF RETURNS AND RESULTS OF SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION (CONSOLIDATED WITH CONSOLIDATED GENERAL ELECTION) HELD ON NOVEMBER 3, 1998 (RE: MEASURE J, PARAMEDIC SERVICE SPECIAL TAX ON RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES AND APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT INCREASE) (CC) - File 9-4 Mayor Boro explained this item was being carried over to the City Council meeting of 12/7/98, as County Elections had not yet finalized the results of the election. OLD BUSINESS: 10. REPORT ON COMMUNITY POLICING (CD) - File 9-3-30 Police Chief Cam Sanchez reported that in March of this year, the Police Department and the City began a journey called "Community Policing", stating the reason for the change was to stress the "partnership" between all of the City's resources, and at times, County resources, to solve problems in our City. He believed San Rafael was in a very unique position to someday become a model of Community Policing, because in most cities, especially in California, partnerships with other entities within the cities are not being utilized. Chief Sanchez stated Captain Mike Cronin, and Sergeants Jim Kelly and Mike Keller, would also be addressing the Council, noting this was not a Police Chief's project, it was a Police Department philosophy. Chief Sanchez stated the report stressed community input, noting they have met several times with the Advisory Committee concerning Community Policing. He reported they had begun to develop the foundation for that group, and were discussing such issues as Neighborhood Watch, crime prevention, outreach, and continual, ongoing focus groups with the Police SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 2 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 3 Department. Chief Sanchez stated the Committee represented all of the City's neighborhoods, and included three high school students. He noted three focus groups had taken place at the high schools, and the students had some serious concerns regarding perception, understanding, and relationships with the Police Department; therefore, he felt it was critical to include high school students in this group. The Committee has eighteen members, half of whom will serve for one year, and half for two years. Chief Sanchez stated Captain Cronin was now the Patrol Captain, and was also responsible for the Community Policing program. Captain Cronin stated the staff report addressed surveying and determining results, and noted one way the Police Department would like to do that was with community surveys. He reported they were reviewing a software application that would allow them to tabulate those results in a meaningful manner. He stated another method of gathering information was taking statistical information from the computer. As an example, he referred to the graph in the staff report which charts the activity at 30 Novato Street, pointing out the sharp decline in Calls for Service after the Street Crimes Unit moved to that location. He stated that had not been only the result of the Police Department's efforts, but had clearly been the result of a very effective Citywide effort. Captain Cronin distributed an additional report which contained information concerning Part 1 and Part 2 Crimes, and Calls for Service, pointing out Part 1 Crimes were declining, and Calls for Service had dropped from approximately 43,000 last year to approximately 40,000 for the same period this year. Regarding Traffic, Captain Cronin noted this had been identified in the focus groups as a primary concern to the citizens of San Rafael, and reported the Department was looking into the use of radar trailers. In addition, with the Office of Traffic Safety Grant received by the Department, which will be paying for the radar trailers, the Department will also be selecting two Motorcycle Officers, doubling the number of Motorcycle Officers on the street by March. Captain Cronin reported the Patrol Officers have been asked to increase enforcement efforts, and it was hoped there would be an increase in citations and a decrease in collisions. Referring to the "Steady Beats", Captain Cronin reported the Department was currently experiencing an unusually high number of injuries; however, two of the Officers were already back to work, and another was expected back the first of the year. In addition, two Officers would be coming out of Field Training, and on December 13th, three additional Officers would be joining the Department. Captain Cronin stated they were expecting the Department's strength to come back very strong by the first part of next year, and hoped they would then be able to pursue some of the strategies outlined for Council in the past. Sergeant Mike Keller distributed the Department's "Beat Books" to the Councilmembers. Chief Sanchez recalled several months ago they had referred to the Beat Books, and discussed the need for a Steady Beat program, having the same Officers working the same areas for longer periods of time, more than likely the entire six months of the rotation period. Chief Sanchez stated the books being distributed to Council represented each of the different beats within the City, and the Officers on all shifts review the books, which are kept in the Briefing Room, to see what is going on within their beats at different times of the day and night. Chief Sanchez noted they had only recently begun to use the Beat Books, and were hopeful they would assist the Street Officers in becoming problem solvers within their assigned communities. Sergeant Keller reported the Beat Book was a strategy the Police Department was employing to help the Department achieve its goal of having a Community Policing philosophy. He noted as part of the philosophy they were trying to encourage the Beat Officers to contact people in their beat neighborhoods, and begin projects on their own. Sergeant Keller acknowledged there would still be direction from Police and City Management concerning issues of enforcement, explaining those types of things would be contained in the Beat Book, as well as what the Officer had produced. Describing the contents of the Beat Book, Sergeant Keller noted it begins with the "Goals" of the Police Department and the City, explaining this helps the Officers weed out any type of project that might take them away from their focus. He noted, as a Supervisor, he could look at a project that has been initiated by an Officer, and if it does not fall within the top ten priorities, have that project set aside, and redirect where the SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 3 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 4 Department's resources are to be spent. Sergeant Keller explained the "Resource" section contains telephone numbers, noting the Officers make copies of the phone numbers to take with them when they go out on a call, providing them with a ready reference, as needed. Sergeant Keller stated they have found this to be very helpful, particularly with domestic violence situations. Referring to the 11290 Registrant" section of the Beat Book, Sergeant Keller reported this contains a listing of sex offenders in San Rafael. He noted the Police Department had identified all individuals who have been required to register within our City, and each Beat Book contains pictures and addresses of registered sex offenders located within a specific Beat. He reported that, eventually, this section of the Beat Books would also include registered narcotics offenders. Sergeant Keller stated the "COPS" section identified particular projects within a specific Beat, whether initiated by Police Management, a Supervisor, or the Beat Officer, and the Officer can include such things as telephone contacts and notes concerning the project. Sergeant Keller explained this allows the Officers assigned to a particular Beat to leave notes for each other, and track the status of a project. Referring to the section concerning "Traffic", Sergeant Keller noted Captain Cronin had alluded to the high accident areas, and pointed out that each of those areas in a particular Beat has been identified, along with the types of violations that have occurred at those intersections, which allows the Officers to focus directly on those particular types of violations. Sergeant Keller stated there was also a Beat Information section, which contains notes and messages that have come in for the Officers, either through the front office or citizen contact. He noted these messages are kept in a centralized location, so one of the Beat Officers can follow-up and make certain the situation is responded to. Sergeant Keller stated this ensures that someone takes care of the problem, once the Department is notified. Chief Sanchez stated in his report that cell phones had been placed in the Police vehicles a few months ago, and noted many of the Officers were utilizing the cell phones, although he acknowledged some improvement was needed regarding the use of cell phones, and in the philosophy itself. Chief Sanchez stated the change in the Police culture was probably the biggest challenge to doing things differently, and in having everyone's "buy -in"; however, he believed part of the buy -in was his responsibility to make sure that all the technology, tools, and opportunities to be problem solvers were given. He noted that was where they were empowering the Officers, allowing them to go out and get involved in their community. Chief Sanchez believed that within the next few months they would have several of the Beat Books full of projects; however, he stressed Community Policing was not just projects, it was a philosophy, and a different way of doing policing, stating it was community input, community involvement, and it was the community having something to do with the decision-making of the Police Department. Chief Sanchez reported within the next few weeks there would be a new logo on the Police cars, written in gold, which states, "Commitment to Community", explaining this was being done as a reminder to the Officers and the community that the Police Department was committed to allowing the community to have input as to the way the Police Department is run. Sergeant Jim Kelly reported that in February he was appointed the first Community Policing Coordinator for the Police Department. which meant he would no longer be spending time supervising, enabling him to go out and develop partnerships, something he has found to be a very important part of Community Policing. Sergeant Kelly believed two of the most essential ingredients of Community Policing were formulating partnerships with the community and other groups, or anyone who can help out, and problem solving together. He stated that prior to this time, Police Departments always tried to solve all the problems using Law Enforcement as the only tool, and he did not believe that worked effectively to get the job done right, or to make San Rafael a better place to live. Sergeant Kelly stated the first partnerships formed were with the City's own employees, reporting the Community Oriented Public Service Committee was formed, made up of representatives from each of the departments within the City. He noted they meet monthly to discuss problem areas of the City, and share what can be done in working on those problems together, and who SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 4 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 5 else might be contacted to help. In addition, he pointed out that between meetings, each of the members was also a liaison between their department and the Police Department, noting he now had a contact person in each department whom he could call with problems specific to that department. He stated it had become a very efficient and friendly system, and was working quite well. As an example, he reported there had been problems with lighting in the Third and Cijos parking lot, and working with Richard Landis of the Public Works Department, who is a member of the Community Oriented Public Service Committee, the lighting was replaced, clearing up the crime problem and actually saving the City money in the long run. Sergeant Kelly reported the Police Department has also partnered with neighborhood groups, meeting with Homeowner Associations and Crime Watch groups, working to problem -solve together. He noted a good example would be the Citizen's Radar Program, explaining that had been developed as the result of talking with a group of homeowners concerning speeding vehicles in their neighborhood. He stated that while the Police Department could not effectively get into the neighborhood to take care of the problem, the homeowners stated that if the Police Department could provide the radar gun, they would get the information, and then the Police Department could follow up. Sergeant Kelly reported this had been working out very well, and believed it was a good example of how the Police Department and the citizens were teaming up and problem -solving together, looking at it as a community problem, rather than just a law enforcement problem. Sergeant Kelly stated the Police Department had also partnered with organizations such as Whistle Stop to work on senior projects, noting this was the essence of Community Policing. In addition, they have teamed up with the United States Post Office for the Carrier Alert Program. He explained the Post Office mails out information and applications for the program, and those wishing to participate sign an application and a "Hold Harmless Agreement", which the Police Department keeps on file; then, if a postal employee notices mail piling up for a day or two, the Police Department is called to do a welfare check, noting the Department would already have who to contact on file, or a form giving permission for the Officers to break into the house to check on the person. Sergeant Kelly reported the Post Office had picked up 100% of the cost of printing and mailing the information and applications, the Marin Independent Elders Project representative at Whistle Stop handled all the advertising, outreach, and coordination for the program, and the Police Department maintains the applications on file and conducts the welfare checks when needed. Sergeant Kelly reported the Police Department also partners with the community by attending as many community events as possible, noting in the past seven months the Department has had contact with nearly 3,000 children and 1,700 adults, which he described as all positive contacts while attending safety fairs, Homeowner Association picnics, going out with the patrol car and providing information, and with appearances by McGruff the Dog. In addition, he noted the Police Department had a booth at the Marin County Fair, where they were exposed to over 10,000 Fair -goers, and won the prize for best commercial booth, which depicted the history of the Police Department. He explained the Department was also operating the Citizens Police Academy, having graduated the tenth class two weeks ago. He reported the eleventh class would begin in January, noting next year the Department would conduct three Academies rather than two. Sergeant Kelly stated he believed perhaps some of the most important partnerships they were making were with the owners, managers, and tenants of multi -unit rental property, noting this was where Community Policing really had a good effect, in terms of partnering with the community, and partnering with other City departments. He reported the Police Department has held several meetings for apartment owners and managers, where they listened to concerns about the types of problems they were having at their properties, and gave them information concerning what was necessary to bring their buildings up to Uniform Housing Code standards. He noted a representative from Code Enforcement also attended those meetings. Sergeant Kelly stated the Police Department also shared crime information and discussed how to work with the Police, and also brought in attorneys who specialize in real estate law to discuss how to screen tenants, how to have good lease agreements, how to manage property, and how to take care of problem tenants. He pointed out this was not only being done for those apartment buildings in the Canal, but for any apartment building in San Rafael. Sergeant Kelly reported they had recently formed a coalition of agencies, which was a combination of the Police Department, City Code Enforcement, the Canal Community Alliance, Canal Ministry, Mediation Services of Marin, SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 5 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 6 the Red Cross, and the Marin Conservation Corps, explaining the goal of those meetings was to educate and empower tenants. He stated they were going to begin one building at a time, using all of these agencies, so the tenants understand the system, and know how to utilize the Police and the City, how to utilize Mediation Services during difficulties, and how to utilize the Red Cross in case of emergencies. He stated the Police Department's goal, eventually, was for every tenant in every building to be able to take care of problems, and when they see a problem, to be able to deal with it, and not just let it go until it becomes a serious problem. Sergeant Kelly reported this program would be known as the City of San Rafael Safe and Healthy Housing Program, explaining this meant that eventually, during the next year, the buildings would actually be certified as to whether they meet all of the City's requirements, which will include areas such as having the building up to Code, crime prevention, advice followed, Neighborhood Watch meetings held in the building, and yearly 10% inspections. Sergeant Kelly stated there would be an annual re- certification, rather than a one-time inspection, to improve conditions for anyone in a rental property, not just for the tenants, but also for the managers and owners, noting the Department would try to bring them to harmonious agreement on working and living together. Sergeant Kelly stated partnerships would become increasingly important to Community Policing, resulting in San Rafael becoming one of the best cities in which to live and play, in safety and good health. Noting Sergeant Kelly had mentioned the Citizens Police Academy, Chief Sanchez reported in February of next year they would have the first ever Citizens Academy for Senior Citizens only, which will be conducted during the daytime. He stated more than eighty people had already signed up, which would require a two -group session, noting the Police Department would do its best to accommodate as many of them as possible. Chief Sanchez stated that as the Police Department has talked about Community Policing everywhere they go, the seniors seemed to feel they were being forgotten about, as part of the community. Therefore, the Police Department decided to offer the Police Academy for seniors only, and received a tremendous response. Referring to the Steady Beat concept, Chief Sanchez stated the goal was really to have the Officers working steady beats as often as possible; however, he reported this was one of the areas where they needed to improve. He noted they have been successful in most cases, but not all, explaining that because of injuries and scheduling problems, they have had to move people around. He hoped that by the first of the year they would have most of these issues solved, and move on to a healthier, more vibrant Steady Beat process. Concerning how the Department will evaluate the program, Chief Sanchez reported they were developing two surveys that would be going out to the community. He believed the one that was most critical was the one people will receive two or three days after an Officer responds to a Call for Service, which will give them an opportunity to discuss how they felt about the response to their call. Mayor Boro congratulated Chief Sanchez and the members of his Department for the efforts they have put into this program, particularly the enthusiasm of Sergeant Kelly, which Mayor Boro stated has permeated the entire City, and has really been felt. He noted decreasing crime and the fear of crime were goals the City has had all along. However, he stated it was not what we were doing, but how we were doing it now that had changed, and felt that had caused an attitudinal shift, not only on the part of the Police Department, but also the community, as well. Mayor Boro believed the entire concept of partnership made a lot of sense, and stated Chief Sanchez' commitment to it was admirable and appreciated. Mayor Boro referred to the survey, noting the Department has, on average, approximately 3,000 to 3,500 calls per month. He asked if the Department would be taking a sample for the survey, or if they would be contacting all of the people who call for service? Captain Cronin reported they would be looking at a sample of between 500 to 800 callers. Councilmember Heller asked if the Department had been receiving feedback from the Neighborhood Associations, indicating the City was making headway in solving some of their problems? Sergeant Kelly stated they had received positive feedback, noting the Department was having good luck with such things as the Radar Program. He stated, overall, he believed people felt better about the Police Department, knowing there is a contact person they can call. Councilmember Heller asked how many seniors were in the Carrier Alert SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 6 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 7 Program? Sergeant Kelly reported there were currently 150, but noted all of the information and applications had not yet been sent out. He explained the Postal Carriers distribute the applications, but noted this was done sporadically, when they have room in their postal bags. Sergeant Kelly stated he expected there would eventually be approximately 400 to 500 seniors signed up for this program. Councilmember Heller asked about training the Police Department had recently conducted for Bank Managers and employees, showing them how to make their workplaces safer. Chief Sanchez noted that during the past year and a half there had been quite a few bank robberies, stating the Police Department held a training session with representatives from all of the banks, and the Detective Bureau was currently working with them regarding protocol. He explained all of them had a different way of handling bank robberies, so the Department decided to meet with them and make it consistently one protocol. Sergeant Kelly stated he has worked with Jackson's Hardware and Beverly's Fabrics regarding shoplifting information, and has offered to give talks to any interested business group. He noted he had also spoken to the Dominican College employees and to insurance companies concerning issues of personal safety. Councilmember Heller stated when Council receives the next update, she would be interested to learn whether the Department has seen a lessening of fear, or an "attitudinal shift" from the community regarding the wall that seemed to exist between the community, the Police Department and the City. Chief Sanchez stated the community knows the Police Department is enhancing its services, and more and more businesses are calling to ask the Department to conduct meetings. He noted the Department has begun to do a lot of consulting regarding such issues as security, violence in the workplace, and child care. Therefore, he felt the proactive approach was working, but believed the surveys would be the real test, noting the Department was looking forward to sending out the surveys after the first of the year. Chief Sanchez reported Sergeant Kelly had recently attended a Community Policing training seminar, and the instructor, who conducts the seminars all over the State, asked Sergeant Kelly for a copy of San Rafael's Community Policing video, which Channel 31 had taped for the City, because he was impressed that San Rafael's Police Department was actually utilizing outside sources to solve crime problems, and he wanted to share that with everyone. Councilmember Phillips underscored Mayor Boro's earlier comments, stating he felt the Police Department had made great progress. Councilmember Phillips agreed the seniors were a group that needed to be addressed, which the Department had done, and asked if there was a parallel with the students, and what efforts had been made through the schools? He noted there were problems with such things as graffiti and drugs; therefore, he suspected there was another audience there, as well, that was somewhat unique. Councilmember Phillips asked if there were any possibilities, perhaps in the Police Academy or beyond that, and what was being done with regard to the COPS Program as it pertains to the kids in our community? Chief Sanchez stated one of the projects the Department would have after the first of the year was for the younger children. He recalled having stated earlier that the Steady Beat program needed improvements, and reported one of those improvements would be an Adopt -a -School project, in which the Beat Officers adopt the school in their neighborhood, and become part of that school through visits and proactive activities, and by listening to the kids. Chief Sanchez stated the high schools had been approached to discuss allowing students to participate on the Advisory Committee, noting he felt the best way to involve the youth might be through the leaders of the young people. Chief Sanchez reported the Juvenile Detectives also offered weekly classes at the high schools. Councilmember Phillips thanked Chief Sanchez, noting he had assumed there would be some evidence of the program reaching our schools. Councilmember Miller agreed with the accolades given Chief Sanchez and his Department, noting he sees Sergeant Kelly out in the community quite often, and spoke of how very well this new program was being received. He believed the Department's premiere program was its housing program, and felt that community -building effort was unparalleled anywhere else, where they are able to involve the total residential community, the residents as well as the managers and owners. Councilmember Miller asked whether the Water Rate Initiative had been worked into the Department's certifications of the buildings? Community Development Director Bob Brown stated the Board of Directors of the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) had approved the concept, and the City was waiting to hear from MMWD and their SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 7 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 8 attorneys. He felt the big question would be how far the City could go with that certification, beyond issues of water conservation, since it is for reduced water rates. Mr. Brown noted the City expected to hear from MMWD, and begin defining exactly what the certification will be. Councilmember Miller noted in the past, when people called in with a problem, the Police Department investigated and took care of the problem, but did not get back to the callers, and they never found out what had happened. He asked what was being done about that? Captain Cronin stated one of the things he had learned in handling complaints over the past six or seven years was that people call to complain, not because the Police Department has not done a good job, but because the Department did not tell them they did a good job. Captain Cronin noted if someone states the Police Department has not gone to a call, they are misinformed, because the Police Officers go to everything. Therefore, Captain Cronin reported if there is a name and phone number of the reporting party, once the Officers have finished handling a call, they have been asked to call them back or stop by to see them, and tell them what has transpired. Captain Cronin stated the Department is really pushing the Officers to do more of that, which is why they budgeted the money for cell phones, believing this went right to the root of the issue of breaking down barriers between the Police and the community. Chief Sanchez stated the big issue was clear communication. He noted that over the years, Police Departments had made the mistake of thinking they knew it all, and did not have to ask anyone for anything; however, he stated those days were gone in the San Rafael Police Department, and it was time to come to the conclusion that the Department cannot fight crime, or the fear of crime, alone. He believed the more the Department reaches out to the community, the more the Department will be appreciated, and the more the neighborhoods will be policed by the residents, as well as by the Police Department. Chief Sanchez stated the Department was looking forward to continued success, and while they still had some areas they had not reached and had to work on, he assured Council the Department truly would get there. He noted this was not a project that had a three to five year ending, stating there was no such thing as the end of Community Policing, as this was an ongoing philosophy, one they hoped to improve on as they move forward. Councilmember Heller moved and Councilmember Phillips seconded, to accept the report. AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen NEW BUSINESS: 11. PRESENTATION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT BUSINESS PLAN (FD) - File 9-3-31 Fire Chief Robert Marcucci reported the objective in preparing the Fire Department Business Plan had been to determine future needs of the Organization. He noted the Plan had been developed with the talent and expertise of Fire Department personnel, as well as community perspective through the Business Peer Review Committee and the Fire Commission. Chief Marcucci stated this was no longer a Fire Department document, it was actually a community document, recalling they had begun the process believing the Fire Department would have major input, but instead found the community was really the force behind making the document what it is today. Chief Marcucci explained the Plan was a collection of information that would allow the Fire Department to look at its needs, view them in a future perspective, and look at the course of action needed to lead to success. He stated the Business Plan was a fluid document, one that must be subject to annual review, pointing out the Business Plan was not intended to be a budget document, but rather a document that could guide them to future success. Chief Marcucci stated the strength of the Plan was not in the written word, but in the collaborative process they went through in developing it. He noted the Plan reflected the general philosophy of the Fire Department, which is to expand as an effective community resource, rather than simply a Fire Department. The Plan also provides an opportunity for the Fire Department to view itself, through a systematic process, within the confines of the City's fiscal realities, assets, products and services, SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 8 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 9 competition, and needs. He stated the key component of the Business Plan was the Action Planning section, which identifies target areas for future action, and defines desirable outcomes the Department would like to meet, setting a road map to the future. Chief Marcucci noted the acceptance of the Business Plan by Council would initially be without fiscal impact, stating that while there were costs associated with certain identified needs in the Planning section, some of which can be completed within the existing Fire Department budget, there were, however, other identified needs that would require an incremental increase in costs, beyond the Fire Department's existing budget. Chief Marcucci believed those should be considered during the future budgetary process. Chief Marcucci pointed out the Council had several options. The first was to accept the Plan; the second was to accept the Plan, while stipulating initial funding must be included within the Fire Department budget, or considered during the normal budgetary process; and the last option was to not accept the Plan. Chief Marcucci noted staff recommended the second option, which was to accept the Plan, basically indicating to the Fire Department that whatever they could accomplish within the Fire Department budget they would do, and if there were additional incremental costs, they would need to go through the normal budgetary process. Mayor Boro thanked Chief Marcucci for a great report, noting it was very thorough, and not something that would be expected to be found in the public sector. He stated, once again, Chief Marcucci had set an example for everyone. Councilmember Heller pointed out the report stated the Fire Department had undergone a slight decrease in positions, yet the Department was handling an increased number of calls, asking if Chief Marcucci had looked at the long-term personnel and staffing needs of the Fire Department, considering a review of the population figures in the report, which show an increase of 19,000 by the year 2015? Chief Marcucci stated they had looked ahead and believed, based on the number of calls now being handled by the Engine Companies, they would be able to absorb that increase, predicated on the fact that we have six Fire Stations, and the increased numbers would be divided among the six. Chief Marcucci stated the area they were a little concerned about was Paramedic responses, noting that although there were alternatives to handling some of those calls, he hoped to be able to keep staffing at its current level going into the years up to 2003. He pointed out this was why the preventative measures, such as the Department's Caretaker Program and some of the other programs they wanted to become involved in, were so important. He noted that if the Department could prevent some of the calls from occurring, they were not going to go under. Therefore, he stated the Fire Department's role was to partner and collaborate with organizations within the community to help them keep the number of calls down, so as we move forward to the years 2002 and 2003, the Department would be very capable of handling the increases. Councilmember Heller referred to communications, noting at this point the Fire Department was beginning to work with County Dispatch, and had begun discussing with them the possibility of combining the Dispatch Centers, asking when that might take place? She also asked if we would have to redesign a building near the Civic Center, or if we would have to build a new facility, and whether it would be in the City's budget, or just on the "wish list"? Chief Marcucci stated it involved more than just the "wish list", noting the Fire Department was in serious discussion with the Marin County Fire Department. He explained one analysis had already been completed which indicated that by combining resources, they could probably handle all Fire, EMS, and Medical calls in Marin County. In order to do that they would need a new facility, and he noted they were now in conversation on the design of what the facility would look like, and what the costs would be. He pointed out such a facility would probably be at Station 7, or adjacent to Station 7, which was the Civic Center Station, and seemed to be a good location for both County Fire and San Rafael Fire. Chief Marcucci also believed that as the new Countywide radio system comes up, so will the Dispatch Center, and be running by the time the Fire agencies go onto the new system. He acknowledged that might be an optimistic view, but stated it was his objective. Councilmember Phillips asked about the consequences of the failure of Measure J and the Paramedic Tax? Chief Marcucci stated his objective was for the Fire Department to have no consequences between now and the time of the next election, when it is determined by Council to be the appropriate time for the issue to go back on the ballot. He felt it would be a mistake to decrease the level of service prematurely, SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 9 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 10 and he did not believe they would have any problems between now and June, 1999, because this was already built into the budget. He noted several options were being considered in the next budget year, and suggested City Manager Gould might want to discuss those options. City Manager Gould stated he would be asking Council to hold a Study Session to look at impacts regarding the failure of Measure J, and to provide Council with financial information regarding what that means in response to the rising costs in medical services. Mr. Gould stated he would give Council options for mitigating some of the losses, as well as options regarding elections, and then perhaps they could talk strategy concerning how the City might achieve a better outcome next time. Mr. Gould stated he would like to have the Study Session toward the middle of December, if that would not conflict with the Councilmembers' schedules. Councilmember Phillips referred to the last paragraph on Page 38, which discusses Facilities Maintenance, quoting in part, "To meet the changing and evolving needs of the Fire Department, it is recommended that a Facilities Maintenance Program be established as part of the Fire Department budget", and asked what that would mean and how much it would cost, noting we do not have that in the budget now. He also referred to the next sentence, "The cost of maintaining the stations should be amortized over time so that the expenditures and costs can be contained and managed in an efficient and timely manner". He asked for clarification of precisely what this meant. Chief Marcucci noted that in the last section of the Business Plan they had completed the Fixed Facilities Maintenance Program, which delineates the cost of what staff believes should be put away every year, in a deferred manner, so the Department can make repairs on the Fire Stations when the time comes. He reported what they are doing now when something goes wrong is to budget "reactively" rather than "pro- actively". Although he acknowledged there were fiscal implications to what he was stating, Chief Marcucci believed the Fire Department should be putting away $130,000 each year for the six facilities, to take care of their long-term needs, noting those costs were probably minuscule compared to the cost of doing it later on when there is major difficulty with a Fire Station. He believed it was more prudent to put away $130,000, if in fact you have $130,000 to put away, than it is to wait until the roof is leaking, and then find out you not only have the roof to repair, but you also have dry rot to repair, or other damage that may have occurred, in addition to putting a new roof on the station. Chief Marcucci pointed out they had the Equipment Replacement Program, so at the end of a specified period of time, money would be available to replace the fire engines; however, he stated we did not have a program like that in the City for facilities. He noted this was something the City Manager had talked about in the past, but the problem was in the fiscal implications of doing that. Chief Marcucci stated they felt it was important to know what those costs were. Councilmember Phillips noted that currently, the City budgets for items they believe will arise during the course of the year, or for items that are part of routine maintenance. Chief Marcucci pointed out those items were also prioritized, and he might have an item that had a very low priority when considered with other issues going on within the City. Therefore, the Fire Department had put together a Facilities Maintenance Program, which delineated the cost over time, and provided good, solid information in managing Fire Department facilities. Councilmember Phillips agreed with Chief Marcucci, noting the same issue existed throughout the City. He stated he assumed that adopting Chief Marcucci's recommendation, as it pertains to this section, did not mean Council was necessarily going to fund this philosophy, although it was a philosophy he agreed with, even though it was a little inconsistent with the balance of the City. Chief Marcucci explained that was why staff was recommending Council approve Option 2, which states they have to go through the budgetary process, which he believed was the right thing to do. He stated that by accepting the document, Council was doing nothing more than stating that if the Fire Department could do it with their existing budget, to go ahead and do it; however, if it was more than the existing budget, then, at the appropriate time, they would have to go through the same City budgetary process that all other Departments have to go through. Councilmember Miller agreed Chief Marcucci had done an outstanding job, and the report was an outstanding collaborative effort. Mayor Boro noted Chief Marcucci had, in the past, performed magic in acquiring equipment, and he felt certain Chief Marcucci would bring those same resources to light. Mayor Boro stated this report did a very good job of showing Council the needs and conditions, acknowledging that at some SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 10 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 11 point Council would have to make choices. He pointed out they had set up a revolving Capital Improvement Fund, and noted the City Manager would try to find ways to speed that up. Mayor Boro stated this was a great start for this very important service. Pointing out one of the obvious uses of the work that has been done in Facilities, as part of this Business Plan, City Manager Gould reported that because of the in-depth study Chief Marcucci had made regarding the six facilities, they knew exactly what the cost would be to renovate, upgrade, and maintain them over time, noting they did not have similar data for the rest of the City facilities. Mr. Gould explained when fees and charges are set for the coming year for Fire Services, they would be able to incorporate some of these costs into the fees and charges, and be able to recover more of the costs, because they were now known and documented. He stated at some point he would like to be able to get to the same place with the rest of the City facilities. Mayor Boro referred to Page 55 of the Plan, and the section concerning Future Outlook, which states that while medical facilities are relying more heavily on home health nurses and in -field physician assistants, the Paramedic role was also having heavier demands placed on it. He noted there was some discussion that Paramedics may be asked to acquire further training and skills to perform more complex medical tasks. He pointed out the goals in the Action Plan for the Future, listed on Page 66, also made reference to this, stating the health care profession was changing, and specialized training would need to be identified to accommodate the divergence in health care. Mayor Boro asked what types of things the Paramedics might be doing tomorrow, that they were not doing today, in light of this kind of change? Chief Marcucci stated, as an example, there was no reason the Paramedics could not go into a neighborhood and give flu shots, or, with an appointment, go into the home of a senior and draw blood, so the senior would not have to go to a medical facility. He stated there was also no reason a Paramedic could not go by and check on a patient who had been released from the hospital, and still had an IV, or go to the home of someone released from the hospital because the HMO's are moving people out relatively quickly, and just do a general check-up to see how that person is feeling, or if there are any problems. Chief Marcucci pointed out the Paramedics' scope of practice was somewhat regulated by State law, noting they would have to work around that. As a further example, Chief Marcucci stated his mother is 95 years old, and tomorrow someone would have to take her in a wheel chair to have her blood drawn and take an EKG. He noted there was no reason the Fire Department could not have a vehicle and, for a charge, go to someone's home, draw blood, do an EKG and transmit it to the doctor, and do an x-ray, so people did not have to leave their homes to go to the doctor's office as frequently as they do. He stated this could all be done for a fee of some sort. Mayor Boro asked if Chief Marcucci believed that as the change goes on, it might offer more opportunities for the Fire Department, and at the same time be a revenue source, as well? Chief Marcucci stated he did. Mayor Boro noted the personnel going into the homes would certainly be trusted by the seniors they were serving, just by the nature of who they were. Councilmember Phillips moved and Councilmember Heller seconded, to approve Option 2, accepting the Business Plan, while stipulating that any initial funding must be included within the Fire Department budget, or considered during the budgetary process. AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen MONTHLY REPORTS: 12. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT (CM) - File 9-3-11 (Verbal) City Manager Gould stated last Saturday the Community Services Department and Fire Department played host to St. Vincent's Dining Room, reporting that due to a sewer leak, they were locked out of their premises by the County Health Department, and the City offered the "B" Street Community Center and Fire Station 1 as places where St. Vincent's could continue to feed their clients. SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 11 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 12 City Manager Gould stated he would be coming back before the Council with Resolutions involving the Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA), which would commit the City to paying its share of the cost of the "backbone" technology, and also placing orders for a certain number of radios and consoles. He reported members of the Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments had looked at the technology, receiving input from the Technical Advisory Committee and Motorola. Mr. Gould noted the project was beginning to move rapidly, with twenty-four agencies currently engaged in the process. He stated they hoped to successfully negotiate a contract we could afford, and would meet all of the County's needs, by the end of this calendar year, with self-financing soon after the first of the year. He reported San Rafael would be the first recipient of the new technology as the project goes into place. City Manager Gould reported at the next Council meeting Public Works Director Dave Bernardi would be offering a Study Session regarding options for the third way of landscaping medians in San Rafael, discussing treatments and different types of landscaping, costs, how we might involve the neighborhoods in assisting the City, and perhaps doing something less beautiful than had been proposed in the Assessment District processes, using something that is more draught tolerant and requires less maintenance, yet is still better looking than what we have today. City Manager Gould stated he would like to schedule a Study Session that would deal with the next phase of Redevelopment, based on the outcome of the ballot Council distributed to the Department Directors, as well as further discussion of the workspace. He noted he would also like to schedule a Closed Session meeting shortly after the next Council meeting, as a "tune-up" for Labor Relations. He pointed out several of the Employee Associations have signaled they would like to begin negotiations sooner, very shortly after the first of the year. He noted the Department Directors were examining the Memorandums of Understanding to determine what changes the City might wish to seek, and recommendations would be presented to the Council. He stated staff needed some intensive time with Council to discuss Council's broad parameters in dealing with each of the Employee Associations, as the contracts expire next Spring. City Manager Gould noted he would also like to have a discussion regarding the aftermath of Measure J, addressing strategy, impacts, and what comes next. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS: 13. a. ST. VINCENT'S/SILVEIRA ADVISORY TASK FORCE - File 9-2-45 (Verbal) Mayor Boro stated he believed they had picked an excellent facilitator for this project, noting he has good techniques, and gets not only the members of the audience, but also the members of the Committee, really working together and focused. Mayor Boro pointed out there had been fifty members of the public at the meeting last Saturday, in addition to the fourteen members of the Committee, and he believed, for the most part, they had all felt the meeting had been worthwhile. Community Development Director Bob Brown stated they had conducted a six hour session last Saturday, reporting staff had almost completed its "data dump" with the Committee, noting the City had given them a lot of information generated from the last Task Force, and also an update on some of the key environmental information, primarily the wetlands locations. He noted at this meeting they had begun moving into the next phase, which was to focus on learning the interests of the various constituents. This was a process not only of having each of them lay out their own interests, but also of trying to put one in the other's shoes, to really comprehend and understand what those other interests are. Mr. Brown believed this would truly pay dividends when they begin to analyze the results of their brainstorming, and try to evaluate options. He reported they had the opportunity to hear from St. Vincent's and the Silveiras, as they laid out their stories and discussed their interests. They conducted a group exercise where they set up various "interest stations", with one for the environmentalists, housing advocates, business representatives, each of the property owners, and the City and the County. He explained they had the constituents go to their "home groups", where each of them expressed their interests and had them recorded. Then they did a rotation, with each of them going to other stations, and indicating what they thought the interests of the other groups were. Mr. Brown stated they would tabulate the results of SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 12 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 13 that exercise and distribute them to the group, noting that as they go along, they will refine exactly what the groups' true interests are. He felt it was good for each group to see how it was perceived by the others. Mr. Brown reported they had also given the members homework, reporting they would be critiquing summaries staff had done of the 1994 Design Competition. He noted this would be the Committee's first effort in trying to apply the MOU criteria, and some of the interests they have heard, to real life examples. Mr. Brown reported at the next meeting on December 16th, which would begin their evening meeting sequence, they would provide the Committee members with traffic data, which they are all interested in. He noted an agricultural feasibility study had been done, which would answer some of the questions concerning whether continued agricultural use would be economically feasible for the properties. They would also hear from some of the environmentalists and business interests. Mr. Brown stated there was a big gap between the December and January meetings, and they hoped to have some study sessions for those who really wanted to study the environmental information on a deeper level. He noted they were trying to set up some small group work to capitalize on that time. Councilmember Phillips asked what the timeframe was for this process, and when they expected it to run its course? Mr. Brown stated the terminus had been expected to be March; however, he believed it would likely not be until April. b. MARIN EMERGENCY RADIO AUTHORITY (MERA) - File 4-13-102 (Verbal) Councilmember Heller referred to the emergency communication system, and asked if the City Manager had reviewed the costs of the Public Works Department radios versus the Fire Department radios, as she had been concerned the Public Works Department was being overcharged? Mr. Gould stated he had, reporting the Public Works Department determined the number of radios that had been ascribed to that department had overstated the need, perhaps by as many as fifty-five radios. He noted this would be adjusted, and believed that would bring it back into line. C. LAFCO - File 149 (Verbal) Councilmember Heller reported LAFCO met last Wednesday night, discussing the "independent" versus "dependent" status of the Commission, and voted overwhelmingly to remain independent. She noted all the public comment they received had also urged them to remain independent. There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM. JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 13 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 14 APPROVED THIS DAY OF 1998 MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 11/16/98 Page 14