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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-12-1992 City Council Minutes SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, May 12, 1992 TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting A. JOINT MEETING WITH PLANNING COMMISSION, Senior Day Care Center, 19655 Allendale Ave. 1. Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Councilmembers Anderson, Clevenger, Monia, Stutzman and Mayor Kohler were present. Planning Commissioners Bogosian, Caldwell, Favero, Forbes, Moran, and Tucker were present. City Manager Peacock, City Attorney Riback, and Associate Planner Adar were also present. 2. Report of City Clerk on Posting of Agenda The City Manager reported that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on May 8. The notice of adjournment from the May 6 Council meeting was properly posted on May 3. NHR Speoifio Plan There was consensus to examine expanding into HCRD area and environs or developing separate specific plan with similar policies. 4. Priority on Long Range Planning Projects a. Housing Element - #1 b. ROS &SOI - #2? c. Open Space Element - #3? d. HCRD Specific Plan - #4? Staff to come up with time line and contact on priority projects for Planning Commission at.next meeting. Open Space Element should be done by January 1, 1993. 5. Item added to Agenda (on last joint meeting agenda, but not discussed at that time) CLEVENGER/ANDERSON MOVED TO PLACE ISSUE OF RECREATIONALVEHICLEPARKING ON THE AGENDA. Passed 5-0. (See Item 9 below.) 6. Private Gates Policy Council decision should not be seen as a precedent. Future requests should be handled on a case-by-case basis. Do not attempt to formulate a policy. 7. Multi-Femily Housing in the Village Think about whether residential creep is a problem. Commission to consult with the business community. No action now, but find out if others share concern and what actions within the purview of the City should be considered. 8. Senior Housing Design - Paul Masson site Commission to proceed with establishing new parameters for development of the entire site. 9. Parking of Recreation Vehicles C~ty council Minutes 2 May 12, 1992 Look into prohibiting parking of recreational vehicles on the street? Hgw about an alternative place to park? How many are there in Saratoga--can we find out from the Department of Motor Vehicles? Get' some sample ordinances from other cities and schedule for Council study session when data has been gathered. 10. Vote for Hakone Note from Don Miller. Mayor to pen note asking for clarification. B. PUBLIC HEARING ON POLICE SERVICES, Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue The public hearing was opened at 8:12 p.m. Presentation by Sheriff Gillingham: - The City has the lowest crime rate in the State. - The City has the lowest accident/enforcement rate in the area. - Contract expires on June 30, 1992--expect new contract will be essentially the same. - Has latest crime statistics which bear out continued low crime rate. - Work with schools and on crime prevention as a top priority. Listed numerous crime prevention programs in schools from elementarythrough junior college. - Ticket kids in about the same ratio as in other cities. - Working on new programs for the schools in conjunction with school administrators; programs are moving forward in those areas. - Has Mr. Parsons, County Controller, available to answer questions on the retirement funding issue brought up by Vice Mayor Monia. Councilmember Anderson asked about the diversion program and its cost. Sheriff Gillingham replied that it is available through a sentencing alternative program. It is currently in place in Saratoga now. The Sheriff would look forward to customizing a Diversion Program for Saratoga and working out the cost. Councilmember Stutzman inquired as to whether Saratoga could cut costs and services further, since service is uniform but Saratoga is safer. Councilmember Monia asked about rotation of deputies in and out of the station. Current policy is that a deputy will be here for at least three years. Presentation by Los Gatos Police Chief Todd: - Provides full service law enforcement for Los Gatos and would do so in Saratoga. - Law Enforcement approach is a partnership with the community--that is the Los Gatos philosophy. - Proposal would more closely resemble having your own police department. - Highlighted WE CARE program~ - Focus on youth and dealing with breaking down fear and trauma of victims. - Send out quarterly newsletters to community. - Participate in block parties and neighborhood watch to get to know community and vice versa; committed to community based law enforcement and being a role model for youth. - Have diversion program which includes skateboarders, bicyclists, etc. types of violations. - Discussed CATV programs put on by department each week. - DART team as example of public safety volunteers. What are issues: 1. Will service deteriorate? - No. 2. Does Los Gatos have capacity to deliver? - Y~s. 3. Will Los Gatos be cheaper? - Yes. City council Minutes 3 May 1992 4. Is Saratoga paying its fair share? - Yes~ some services are provided in Los Gatos which are just for Los Gatos. Questions from Councilmember Monia: Would Saratoga be getting senior officers or the new group - lateral transfer will be used to staff up. Senior officers get to bid but. management makes the final decision. What about uniforms? Hasn't been discussed, but concept has been to have some sort of joint identification. What about substation? Hasn't been discussed. Questions from Councilmember Anderson: What about newsletters? Currently goes only to neighborhood Watch areas, but would work with Saratoga to put together a program the City wants. Public Testimony: Gene O'Rorke stated the Public Safety Commission will hold a meting on May 18 to distill issues which it feels are essential to consider in any contract negotiation. William Ebert stated the Sheriff has always responded when needed. He prefers police services to social services (a la Los Gatos). Don Murphy said if it's not broke, don't fix it. Cost isn't an issue. Work with supplier, don't dump him for a few pennies. New supplier is a gamble. John McInerny said the idea of switching is not firmly based. The City is safe; maybe we'll save money, maybe not. Los Gatos has budget problems--must hire twenty people to do the job. Deputies have at least ten years of experience each. He opposes switching. Nancy Green stated she had been burglarized four times. Each time the Sheriff has responded quickly. She knows law enforcement departments and believes the Sheriff is tops. She is concerned with Los Gatos Police Department staffing patterns. No one is in the department on weekends, so no one is there to help. The Sheriff has reserves. Victor Beauzay favors keeping the Sheriff. He did not know about any dissatisfaction and has not heard a single thing against the Sheriff. There is a problem of Worker's Compensation with non-sworn personnel. Communications may be a problem if we contract with Los Gatos. Leonard Siemek stated he had been a resident since 1955. He believed the Sheriff is for us, while the Los Gatos department would be for Los Gatos first. The Sheriff provides solid, top quality service. They just don't blow their own horn about it. CarOl Mauldin stated she favors the Sheriff. She felt Saratoga doesn't need "teddy bears" and doesn't know anyone.who wants to switch. Preston Burlingham felt thematter should be addressed by the potential new members of the Council if the decision can wait until after the election. Saratoga needs the Sheriff's resources. Any new contract should include restitution by juveniles. Make better use of deputies for juvenile crime, not traffic tickets. Ann Marie Burger stated that the reference to "our police" by others says much about citizen attitudes toward the Sheriff. The proposals should be studied in detail: - Can Los Gatos provide Saratoga with a Narcotics Unit and Canine Unit? - What are response times? City Council Minutes 4 May 12, 1992 - What about communications--is there a regional hookup? - What about detectives--use? - How about disaster response? - How about substation? Patricia Dickson pointed out the needs of the high school: - Continuity; the Sheriff changes too frequently. - Prevention oriented; Diversion orientation. - Positive relation establishment - Los Gates High School speaks highly of Los Gates Police Department and its programs at that high school; we need the same in Saratoga. Barbara Bocks spoke as PTSA President, Saratoga High School. She stated we need to weigh this issue carefully. She is interested in a community approach to law enforcement. Continuity is critical--their town--their kids. That's the attitude law enforcement must take. If it's Los Gates, she would expect the same efforts. She wants the best choice forSaratoga. Richard Angus spoke in support of the Sheriff. If repairs are needed, let's work with the Sheriff to correct them. Work on continuity if thatis a problem. Steve Angus stated that he grew up in Saratoga and is now a Deputy Sheriff. Jeff Varnell stated that the relationship between the Sheriff and the kids has deteriorated over the past two years. He is putting together a class on police-student relations. The key guestion is which agency can devote the resources to this effort. Tony Silveria stated that the Sheriff helped save his son's life after a DUI accident. He is impressed with the Sheriff's program on drinking and driving. He believes they do a good job with kids who were parrying in a vacant lots. The Sheriff has been very supportive of Los Gates Youth Center development. Where was the Los Gates Police Department? Terry Mullen said the Sheriff's response has been immediate and professional. If it's not broke, don't fix it. He agrees'with that sentiment. Sandra Huston spoke as a PTSA Member at Saratoga High School. She is dissatisfied with the Sheriff. Saratoga needs positive programs as proposed by Los Gates regardless of who gets the contract. Gaylon Burgett supported the Sheriff, saying he will work with kids to resolve problems. KlaUs Pache said the Sheriff gave special service to the' business community. Pat Ruch supported the Sheriff. She is a retired Sheriff Captain. She believes education is important, but it doesn't mean that much when all other factors are considered. Kids and cops have problems wherever they are. People she knows don't want the. City to change. Michelle Linders has had negative contact with the Sheriff. Students are concerned, but the Sheriff has been non-responsive so far. The public hearing was closed at 9:46 p.m. The Council questioned Sheriff Gillingham and Chief Todd. Councilmember Kohler asked about response times. The Chief said the response to a Code 1 is 3 to 9 minutes. The Sheriff said he would provide that information. Councilmember Clevenger sald the matter should be discussed by the Public Safety Commission. She asked what the response time would be City Council Minutes 5 May 12, 1992 if officers came from Los Gatos and how much a substation would add to the contract. Councilmember Monia asked how Los Gatos'could provide 17% more; he requested that the staff prepare an opinion on this issue. He also requested the staff to provide the pros and cons of various proposals. He directed a tax levy question to Mr. Parsons, County Controller. Mr. Parsons stated that a 1982 decision allowed the County to fund levy of taxes. Certain costs are reimbursed, so levy is net that cost. He stated there is a cap of .03880. The cost for booking and property tax retirement is not included in the cost. Councilmember Stutzman commented that the contract is due soon, and we don~t have the luxury of studying the issues for another year. Only 71 people are here to discuss this, out of 28,500. Whichever way we go, we'll get good service. Councilmember Anderson stated she wants contract comparisons with the diversion program, school resource program, more contact with schools from the Sheriff thrown in. Councilmember Clevenger asked if the Council could wait until after June 30, 1992, to decide and whether the contract could be extended provisionally. 11. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Harry R. City Clerk