All right, it is 6:30. I will call this uh move the public safety committee [clears throat] to to order. Uh the assistant clerk could please call the order. >> Council Brooks >> present. >> Council Gordon >> present.
Uh announcement open meeting recordings. Any person to make a video or recording an open session of meeting may transmit the meeting through any medium rate subject to reasonable requirements. the chair's m number, placement, and operation of equipment used so as not to interfere with the conduct of the meeting. Any person attending mix as a
recording shall notify the chair for it with all documents and exhibits used to reference the meeting must be submitted in the duplicate to the city clerk because they've become part of the meeting minutes. First item on the agenda is a public hearing. Uh it's a joint hearing on item 11552,
a communication from traffic commission regarding the number of vehicles towed under the city's winter parking man procedure and item 11737 which is an ordinance to amend the code of city of Gardner chapter 600 entitled vehicles and traffic section 24 entitled parking prohibit on certain streets. Uh
item 11737 is the ordinance that would uh inco uh codify the recommendation of the traffic commission and item 11552. Call this public hearing open. If there's anyone that wishes to speak
in favor uh I will first read a communication from the depart the uh director of public works who could not attend but wish this to be read in the record in favor. Uh, unfortunately I cannot attend tonight's public safety meeting, but I would like to have this
email on record. Department of Public Works has consistently found winter operations to be safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective under the former winter parking ban, which ran from November 1st to April 15th. When vehicles are not present on the streets, crews are able to complete plowing in a single pass, significantly reducing
labor time, fuel use, and overall operation costs for the city. Under the current code red system, many residents do not move their vehicles quickly enough to when alerts are issued. As a result, crews often must make multiple passes on the same streets, and numerous cars remain parked throughout storms.
These vehicles create snow windows that extend into the roadway, complicating cleanup and causing unsafe driving conditions for everyone. Park cars also push up against the snowbanks, restricting access for the sidewalk tractor and leaving several sections of the sidewalk unplowed. The data in your
packet also shows that the current method imposes a far greater burden on residents. According to the police report, only 264 vehicles were towed over 9 years under the old seasonal ban. In contrast, 824 vehicles were towed in just 7 years under the code red system. On average, the city towed about 30
vehicles per year under the old method compared to 131 per year under the new system excluding COVID period. This indicates that the code red approach results in significantly more towing and higher costs for residents than the former parking ban. I strongly recommend implementing the proposed parking ban
city code for the abovementioned reasons. Thank you. Dane Arnold, director of public works. Is [snorts] there anyone that wishes to speak in favor of the ordinance? [clears throat] >> Record, please.
>> Uh Eric Mcaby, the chief of police. >> Nick [clears throat] Baron, deputy chief of police. Um, having experienced uh both versions of the uh winter parking van, um, I can definitively say that the the old one
um, while I realized how cumbersome it is for the residents with the number of vehicles we have, um, it is a bigger issue to clean the roads. It it's it it's undeniable. Um, when we used to to start tagging in November, the roads would be clear by the time the first
snow event usually took place. Um, at the very most we would have to remove a couple of cars. Um, it ends up being an issue. I I realize that there's less off- streetet parking now, more cars out there. Um, however, there has to be some
type of um, we we have to look at some type of happy medium here. And this hybrid model was kind of what we had discussed the traffic commission and and some other things to reduce the number of vehicles towed. um whether people are receiving them or not or you you look
out your window and it's snowing and you're just like I'm not going to move my car. Um something is is disconnected there and it doesn't reach the number of people that a parking ticket in November did. The truth is um while I realize
going back to the old way for the entire season is probably a little over the top given the fact that we don't get a ton of snow in November. I was about to say December, but we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Um, so I understand that aspect of it. Also, at the end of
the season, we do experience usually after March, maybe one or two events, but um I realize that shortening it is is probably the better idea, but we need to probably do something um depending on and the more snow events we have, the
more difficult this is going to end up being. Yeah, it's just it's getting taxing on first responders. Um the numbers that I presented uh to the letter to this committee uh doesn't show the number of uh door knocks we had to do, the
officers had to do to try to get cars moved um before towing vehicles. And that number is pretty high as well. Um it's just a lot to do in the middle of a snowstorm. Not to mention, you have on the overnight shift, you'll have
domestic calls coming in, accidents, and they're out trying to get cars moved for the DPW, so they're not doubling back. It just it's very taxing on public works and public safety. I think this hybrid model, like the chief said, we do
understand parking is at a premium here in Gardener. um not giving them the four or five months to try to find parking and narrowing it to two months. I think people can probably bite that off a little bit easier than the full four or five months. Um, I think it's a good
compromise between the old system and the new system and and meshing them together and making sure the roads are clear for uh public works to get their job done and minimizing the amount of cars we have to tow, which is taxing on
the taxpayers as well. Anyone else wishing to speak in favor of the proposed ordinance? Anyone wishing to speak in favor of proposed ordinance? Anyone wishing to speak in favor? Is there anyone wishing to speak against
the proposed ordinance? Anyone wishing to speak against? Anyone wishing to speak against the proposed ordinance? Then I will call this public hearing closed. [clears throat]
Moving on to old business. We have item 11552 which is a communication from the traffic commission regarding the number of vehicles towed under the city's winter parking ban procedures. Uh I will put this on the floor for recommendations or discuss.
[clears throat] >> I just move we place recommend to the full council that we place this on. >> Second. Motion by councelor Brooks taken by councelor Harden to uh recommend to the council to place the item on file. All in favor?
>> I I opposed. Motion carries. Item 11737 an ordinance to amend the code of the city of Gardner chapter 600 entitled vehicles and traffic section 24 entitled parking prohibited on certain streets. Uh I'm not going to read the ordinance into the record. Well, it is included in
the packet, but uh it is rather extensive in the several sections that it goes through. Um so I will entertain any motions or discussion. >> I I would move that we recommend to the council that uh it be approved or go a
first printing whichever is appropriate. >> A second motion by councelor Brooks by councelor Harden to recommend the full council to send me item to first printing. Is there discussion on this motion? Yes. Uh I I think I think what we're proposing is a good idea. Um it's it's
clear that the the current system with just using the code red has its limitations. Uh this will require that people during at least the two snowiest ones should have their cars off the road which makes the cleanup easier. U
and also make sure that people have a place to put their vehicles. Um, I also think it's an there's an incentive uh for people to uh get their cars off the road in when there is a snow in November, December, March, April, for
example, tomorrow that uh if they can if they can do it and do it well and not tie up city resources trying to move these vehicles, then we can keep it the way it is. If it doesn't work, then then I think we could be back here in a couple years to expand
this or extend it. So, I am in favor. Thank you. >> Any further counselor comments, questions? >> No, I'm in favor. Um, I myself, and I know it's easy for me to say I have my
own off street parking. I understand that. But I hope this works because if it doesn't, we will be back and maybe the whole winter again. You know, we might need that work. Time will tell. But thank you.
Uh okay. Any further counselor comments, remarks. Uh all in favor? >> I I opposed. Motion carries. Council questions, concerns, comments. >> I would just tell um I would just tell the two gentlemen that be safe out
there. >> Thank you for what you do. >> I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second motion by councelor Harden, second by councelor Brooks to adjurnn. All in favor? I >> I opposed. Motion carries.