HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-89 Public Safety Committee Otnmmtfrr Evart
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PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
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ee ing of the Public Safety Committee
was called to order by its Chair Person Council Member
William Soderberg at 4 : 05 p.m. in the Council informal
meeting room.
Persons in attendance included Council Members: Soderberg,
Niezgodski, Duda, Coleman, Puzzello, Slavinskas, Luecke, and
Voorde; Warren Bauer Citizen Member, Bert Prawat, Dick
Miller, members of the news media, and Kathleen Cekanski-
Farrand.
Council Member Soderberg began by introducing the members
present of his committee namely Council Member Niezgodski
and Duda and citizen member Warren Bauer.
He noted that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Bill
No. 31-89 which would amend the leaf burning regulations.
Council Member Sean Coleman the sponsor of the Bill then
reviewed it. He noted that it was basically to make
technical corrections for more direct enforcement to the
ordinance. He noted that he had had conversations with
Chief Marciniak whb would be present at the formal meeting
of the council. He noted that each officer has the
. .. . discretion to issue a warning notice instead of a citation
based on the circumstances of each case. Consequently, he
believes that a formal warning procedure is not necessary.
Council Member Luecke stated that further public education
and sessions with the police officers should be done in the
near future.
Council Member Slavinskas offered a friendly amendment to
the ordinance by recommending that the words "warning notice
and" be deleted from the title of Section 9-24 . He also
suggested that the Council maintain the $100. 00 fine.
In response to a question raised by Mr. Bauer it was noted
that they Mayor recently had a news release with regard to
picking up bagged leaves during the Spring since burning is
banned entirely during the Spring.
Council Member Duda stated that the Task Force will be
reconvened shortly and that she was in favor of the overall
bill.
Mr. Dick Miller, a member of the Task Force and chair person
of the group known as "Ban the Burn", stated that his
organization was putting together several fact sheets on the
dangers of leaf burning. He stated that approximately 5, 000
of these fact sheets would be mailed. He took issue with a
letter from Irene Gammon, City Clerk, dated April 17, 1989
(copy attached) . He concluded by stating that he believed
that a $100.00 fine was not enough and that he would prefer
to it at $1,000. 00.
Assistant Chief Prawat from the Fire Department stated that
he would prefer a no-burn environment but would operate
within the guidelines of the ordinances passed by the Common
Council.
Council Member Niezgodski stressed that the $100. 00 fine was
on a per incident basis.
Council President Puzzello took issue with Mr. Miller's
statements and noted that she had received several phone
calls requesting that the fine be reduced to perhaps $50. 00.
She would not be introducing such an amendment this evening
and stated that she has never taken instructions from the
City Clerk and makes decisions based on the best needs of
the community and her district.
Following further discussion Council Member Niezgodski made
a motion seconded by Council Member Duda that Bill No. 31-89
as amended be recommended favorably to Council. The motion
passed.
There being no further business to come before the committee
the meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Council Member William Soderberg, Chair Person
Public Safety Committee
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