07-27-15 Joint Meeting Public Works and Property Vacation & Health and Public Safety

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Public Works & Property Vacation Health & Public Safety Committee Members Present: Citizen Members Present: Committee Members Present: Citizen Members Present: Other Council Present: Others Present: Agenda: ** JOINT COMMITTEE HEARING ** July 27, 2015 5:05 PM Public Works & ProaertV Vacation Valerie Schey, Dr. David Varner, Henry Davis, Oliver Davis (XAB) Vacant Health & Public Safety Derek Dieter (XAB), Dr. Fred Ferlic, Karen White, Valerie Schey Bob Emery Tim Scott, Gavin Ferlic Lt. Eugene Eyster, Captain Jeff Rynearson, Dr. Ogilvey, Chief Scott Ruszkowski, Kara Boyles Speeding in Residential Neighborhoods Councilmember Valerie Schey chaired a joint committee hearing called to discuss the program of speeding in residential neighborhoods. This meeting of the Public Works and Property Vacation along with Health & Public Safety Committee was called in response to speeding complaints received by all councilmembers. Representatives from the South Bend Police Department and the Department of Public Works were asked, in turn, to offer their perspectives. SBPD Lt. Eyster started the discussion. He characterized himself as a one man traffic division. He said PD resources were stretched thin. Current manpower levels and priority assignment preclude much neighborhood enforcement. Nonetheless, Lt. Eyster other officers and Kara Boyles from Public Works all said if there were specific problem areas the Police Department would try to put some additional focus on enforcement. Kara Boyles asked councilmembers for a list of specific concerns. She said Public Works would evaluate problem areas to consider possible physical changes to slow traffic. Tim Scott asked about the possibility of speed bumps or mounds to low traffic. Kara allowed these alternatives were being evaluated; but were not always practical or affordable. Lt. Eyster cautioned that a speeding problem has to be established first. He said perception of speeding does not always match reality. Scott Ruszkowski again indicated there were not enough police resources to address additional enforcement. Dr. Ferlic said there were three components to addressing the problem. They were enforcement, education, and engineering. Kara Boyles reinforced her call to the Council for specific areas to evaluate. Valerie Schey submitted a handout prepared by the Sunnymede Neighborhood Association detailing traffic concerns in Sunnymede. (Attached)