It is 8 a.m. We'll call this uh meeting of the public safety committee to order. Uh if the assistant clerk will please call the role. >> Council >> present. Council >> present. >> Councelor Harter >> present. >> Announcement [clears throat] of open meeting recordings. There's anyone
recording this meeting? No. We'll wave the reading that the first item is the reading of the minutes of prior meetings October 17th, 2025. I move we dispense with the reading of the minutes of October 17, 2025 and approve them as presented. Second motion by councelor
Brooks, second by councelor Harder to wave the reading of the minutes and accept them as printed. All in favor? I >> I opposed. The motion carries. >> Next item on the agenda. We have departmental updates. We'll start with fire council. Thank you. Um I have a fairly
uh fairly brief update um this time around. Um on the uh personnel front um we are still um fully staffed at this point. All budgeted positions are filled. Um and I have uh still have one
firefighter that continues to be on uh extended uh modified duty due to an on the job injury um with no anticipated uh return date as of yet. Um the fire and ambulance overtime
expenditures um were high during the first quarter. Um since we had the three new recruit firefighters that graduated the academy um and have returned to the uh returned to full duty. Um those expenditures have slowed down
significantly. Um both both budgets are are passed over the budgeted amount um in the line item for overtime. Um but the the expenditure
the weekly expenditures have significantly slowed. So um hopefully that that trend continues. Um uh on the the grants side of things, um I'm working on procurement um for the
2024 FEMA assistance to firefighters grant um that we are awarded um for our new portable radios. Uh at this point, I'm going to be it's going to be necessary to file an amendment to the grant um because
between the time of the application and the time of the award, there's been price increases. Um, and there are additional options on the radios that are going to be required for some of them to operate on certain new systems.
Um, so unfortunately, it doesn't look like we're going to be able to get the full number of radios that we had applied for, um, which was 42. Uh it looks like we're going to that's going to be dropped to 37 or 38. Um which is um
still a good number. Um it's not the perfect number that we had hoped for. Uh but it is sufficient numbers that the fire department can operate safely and will carry us through for the the near
near and and foreseeable future. So, um it's still a a great um a great award that we got that the city is not going to have to uh pay for the full cost of these radios. It's a 10% match um for
the city. So, so we're still in pretty good shape there. Of course, the the amend the the the federal government shutdown and the amendment has just pushed the time frame back a little bit. So, so it's still it's still [clears throat] proceeding.
Um on the fleet, uh we are still um waiting um purchasing the uh used Westminster ambulance um that the council approved funding for. Um Westminster is uh still
waiting for the delivery of their new ambulance, which is expected uh sometime after the first of the new year. So once they have their new um ambulance in place, ready to go, we'll finish that purchase. um to to have that additional backup
ambulance which is is desperately needed. Um and the new towel ladder that is on order um from E1 Fire apparatus is still on schedule to go into production um
before the end of calendar year 2026 um with delivery anticipated in the first half of 2027. And this this does fall within the 30 to 36-month estimate uh estimated timeline that was provided by the manufacturer
when the truck was ordered in March of 2024. So it's it's on schedule. Um as far as the the roof um replacement project over at fire headquarters, all work is now complete. The contractors
finished the insulation and repair of the ceiling um on the apparatus floor. So, that's it. It's done finally. Um, and I'm very happy to report that there are no leaks. Um, so, uh, I am I'm very
pleased to be able to cross this project off the list and, uh, not have to bring it up again. Um, and, uh, the only other thing I have is a, uh, activity report, um,
for the calendar year. Um, as of December 1st, um, the fire department has responded to 5,750, uh, calls for emergency assistance. And the fire department ambulance has
transported uh, 1,359 patients to area hospitals. And that's all I have. Questions? >> Questions? >> No, I don't. Thank you. >> All set. Thank you. Thank you.
>> You're good. Thank you. I have another commitment to go to I have to take off. Thank you very >> um staffing and personnel. Um we actually have a new officer graduating from the Holio Police Academy tomorrow. Uh so
Deputy Chief Moroni will be going down to graduation. Um he will start field training on Monday and that's approximately 10 weeks and as long as he passes that then um he will be on the street answering calls by himself. Next officer graduates the end
of January um from Malboro uh into the new Malbor Police Academy and we currently have four recruits clearing the final processes for the next Holy Oak Police Academy starting March 2nd of next year. As long as nothing goes wrong with that, we that will bring us back to
full staff. But that's still um the academy is 23 weeks and then a 10e field training. So we're looking at the end of next year before we see them. So, all four filling spaces. >> That's correct. That's We're There was a little bit of overlap because we're still anticipating Officer Smith retired
on December 1st. >> Okay. >> Um, Detective Allard is retiring January 20th and Sergeant St. Pierre is retiring February 28th. So, there was a little bit of overlap, but wouldn't be much at all with the other ones. Um, I have two
officers out on extended medical leave, one a supervisor, one patrol officer. Supervisor is slated to return in January and is unknown return for the patrol officer. Um so um this is the busiest time of year for time off and overtime. Uh it's a use it or lose it time. So uh everybody's
burning it. So this is the busiest for overtime. Um mine usually drops off a cliff of January 1st till about uh early spring, late March. And that's when they'll start seeing time off again. Uh community outreach [clears throat] domestic violence advocate was full-time
as of December 3rd. Um what we've seen is immediate reduction in time for follow-ups where she was a part-time employee working three days a week. Sometimes incidents would come in and require she follows up on every domestic incident we have but um it would take a
few days sometimes to follow up given her schedule. Now we're less than a day or even you know simultaneously as the calls happening or within hours she's responding to the need. So, it's been a great um uh it's been a great asset and
uh we certainly thank the city for the support and getting the grants and and that um [clears throat] she's also working on a new outreach program to reach out to um domestic violence survivors and uh we'll be uh rolling that out very shortly. Uh still
[clears throat] doing post overdose follow-ups and unhoused outreach with Gamma. We we receive a lot of calls obviously for the unhoused and homeless. Um it's always been an issue here in the city. Um I don't know what it's it's kind of been brought to the forefront by social media
and everything else, but uh there's always been homeless homeless community here in Gardener. Um so we are working with uh with those individuals to try to place them and get them in services. Um some are reluctant or some are outright um defiant to get services. So, um, but
we are trying. The body [clears throat] warn camera program went live December 1st. Uh, within the first 10 days, we've had, um, literally hundreds of interactions between all the officers. Some of the videos could be a few
seconds long to um, nearly an hour or over an hour depending on the situation. So, again, we appreciate the support from the the the city on that as well. Um I believe it'll help with liabil help with u um transparency and liability. So
um the [clears throat] emergency operations kitchen is progressing. The Monty Techch kids are have been in and out of the uh they're doing prep work. They're slated to start the project the end of January, beginning of February. They're putting the cabinets together together now, but we've had um
pretty much just about every most of it the uh construction shops in there uh cabinet making, electrical, house carpentry, and plumbing. Um it's a it's a great this one thing I'll say about this partnership with this we have with Money Tech is uh these kids are great.
This is a great program and this is a tremendous resource for the city. Um we are not paying any labor costs on this project. Um, and we're going to probably be able to keep it under $10,000 for nothing. So, um,
dispatch has been stable staffing. Uh, again, nobody's left in the last several months. Uh, has been stable. OT has been overtime has reduced significantly because of the staffing. Uh, there is still some because of collective uh, contractual time off and and things like
that, but uh, it has been significantly reduced. animal control fully staffed and functioning well. Nothing really remarkable there. Um, same thing with the shelter. Any questions at all that I can Oh, you did have a question for me, councel, regarding the uh vehicles
towed. >> The code red. >> The code in the code red. >> Um on Tuesday, we towed three vehicles. um only three vehicles. But I will say this, given it was the first storm, I think there was a lot more latitude given um
deputy chief uh informed me that I didn't go down Pine Street, but he said several cars hadn't been towed or removed on Pine Street, and it did look like the Salom course that I described to you the other night. Um I I I do feel still feel strongly that the the
decision was correct to to try to do the full winter ban, but um yeah, it was only three cars this time. So, but I don't think the roads were cleared, you know, in a timely manner like they could have been with the parking b. Next up is building
Take off. >> What's that? >> Take off then. >> We'll take off then. >> Okay. >> Um, starting with staffing, the vacancy for the director position in the health department has been filled. The new director will be starting on January 5th. Um, we still are down in
administrative coordinator and the transfer state uh station supervisor. Um, I want to recognize that Aaron Babin has been doing a lot of extra duties, including supervising the transfer station and plowing at the transfer station because that were those were tasks that this supervisor does. So, I want to recognize his commitment to the
health department and help there. Um, and I'm covering the balance of the administrative tasks and training the new administrative assistant. We had a public health emergency preparedness tabletop event for the region 2 of MIMA on November 20th at the Garden of PD
community education room and the board and I are reviewing and finalizing the plans to update our allhazard public health response plan framework for the city. Uh in housing, we've had several no heat calls and we but we generally get these um resolved pretty quickly. Um
landlords are pretty responsive. Eric is pretty persistent. Um we did have to condemn an a unit in the um one of our apartment complexes for bed bugs back in November. It was so severe that we felt that it was a danger for the occupant to still be there and it was um there were many
surrounding units that were also impacted and we needed to get in there pretty heavily with um chemical treatments. So, two pest control treatments have already been completed. We've met with the property manager after the second treatment and we had found that most of the activity in the hallways and surrounding units seem to
be exterminated. The third treatment for the um most effective unit is this week. It's actually happening today. We have a building on Sherman Street that had been condemned by both myself and by the building commissioner in 2024. It has been uh renovated and reinspected and
it's now fit for human habitation again. We have four units back in the market on Sherman Street. Um but sadly we had to condemn a building on Greenwood Street this month, I'm sorry, last month, the end of last month for a building fire. Um, all the occupants were relocated by the property management company that
night. So, that was spectacular work by the property management company, but due to the damage, the building's probably going to need about 18 months worth of renovations. Um, so those tenants have found permanent lodging in other locations now with the help of the property management company. At the landfill, we had our annual D
inspection on November 19th. The inspection uh results were as expected. We have two action items that were identified. They are already on your radar. I believe the LEH pumps which the work for those have has begun about two days after the funding was approved. They started the work on that and that's
well underway. They're expecting that to take about 3 months to complete all of the work. Um they're currently uncovering and excavating the components that need to be um repaired and uh the lea is still being pumped out via a pump truck on about a bi-weekly basis. Uh the
levels are continually bemoned by the staff and by physically observing and then um Eric as the inspector is actually hooking up the hoses and pumps because um it's you get to you got to change your clothes after you're done with this project. So he comes back into the office and he's ready to go out and
inspect after a quick uh uniform change. Repairs to the erosion of the landfill cap. Um we don't currently have funding for this. Um, I've spoken with the mayor about having color partners look for grant opportunities and they are in the initial stages of looking at the municipal vulner vulner
vulnerability, sorry, vulnerability preparedness program which has been folded into the new environmental and climate one-stop program. The application for that grant will become available in January. So, I'll be assisting them with finding the documentation for that. Uh, no foodborne
illness complaints in the last month since we met last. Um, annual food permits and other health department permits are in the process of renewals. We're actually wrapping that up, identifying anybody who's running late this week. Uh, license commission
has had no violations. Alcohol and other license commission annual renewals are almost complete. The meeting that was supposed to happen this past Tuesday had to be postponed due to um one of the members not being available to be present. Uh no tobacco violations
prevention coordination. I actually have one small update. The we get an annual bike donation that Veronica Patty helps coordinate from Eel Harvey for Christmas gifts for some of our area youth. They're getting 25 bikes and helmets delivered today by Eel Harvey and Sons.
Any questions? >> You're welcome. >> Thank you very much. All right, moving on. Item 11741, applicant for motor vehicle deal licenses class 2. Uh, we've got a AC Auto Courtney for the
Park Street, B. Garden Gardenner Auto Incorporated, 182 West Street. Cer Motors LLC 119 Kirstson Boulevard, D. Mike's Auto 251 East Broadway. E, Rick's Radio Repair, used car sales 800 West Broadway. F. Jwood Incorporated, 361 West Street. G Riverside Auto 65
Riverside Road. HTJ and Suns Auto Repair and Towing Incorporated. I MTM Auto LLC 207 East Broadway and JFJ Drive Zone Corporation 407 Chestnut Street. >> The police department has no issues or concerns with any of these removals. >> Excellent.
>> Oh, excellent. >> Are there any questions concern? I would just say that FJ47 chest we just >> it that's a new one. It was an old business location but it's a new business. We just did a we must have
done a license but this year >> yes >> for 2025 and this will be the 26th >> correct >> okay questions motions make a motion for
11 1741 all these A B C D E F G H I J and also one one. No, just just that just that I like to make a motion uh to send this to the council to the
full council as written for approval. Second motion by councelor Carton, second by councelor Brooks to recommend approval of all applications on 11741 to full council. All in favor? I >> I motion carries. Item 11 1742
application for motor vehicle dealer licenses class 3 a Riverside audio 65 Riverside Road. >> No issues or concerns the police department >> questions concerns motions. >> I Yes. I make a motion that we recommend
that the full council that they approve this kind of case. >> Second motion by councelor Brooks and by councelor Harden to recommend approval to the full council. All in favor? I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Old business. We have no old business. First time on the agenda. No first time
on the agenda. Councelor questions, concerns, comments. No. Uh the only comment I will make is that there will be an amendment to parking ban as far as just the title goes because there are actually three different sections that we're updating
with that ordinance. Um and only one was mentioned in the title. Um, so I will make a motion to amend it at the next meeting when I go to send it to second printing. Any questions? >> We we expect to vote on that on Tuesday.
Monday, I'm sorry. Next Monday. >> Take a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion to adjourn. >> Second motion by councelor Harden, second by councelor Brooks to adjurnn. All in favor? I >> I opposed. Motion carries.