MINUTES

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WATERTOWN POL= ICE COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING<= /b>

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WATERTOWN POL= ICE STATION

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2008, 7:30 P= .M.

PRESENT:            =             &nb= sp;    Robert LeBlanc (arrived at 7:32 p.m.)

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; Judy Sprano, Chairman

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; Mark Tedesco

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; Jack Walton

ABSENT:             =             &nb= sp;     Patricia Kropp, Secretary

OTHERS PRESENT:            Roy Cavanaugh, Director of Public Works

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; John Gavallas, Police Chief

1.&nb= sp;        Convene Regular Meeting - 7:30 P.M.

&n= bsp;

Ms. Sprano, Chairman, Called the Meeting to Order at 7:30 p.m.

&n= bsp;

2.&nb= sp;        Roll Call

Ms. Sprano, Chairman, executed the Roll Call.

3.&nb= sp;        Public Participation

&= nbsp;          None

&= nbsp;          Ms. Sprano, Chairman, Closed Public Participation at this time.

4.         = Minutes

            A.        Regular Meeting – July 9, 2008

            =             M= OTION:       (Mr. = Tedesco, sec. Mr. Walton) to Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2008.

            =             D= iscussion:       None<= /p>

            =             M= OTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

August 13, 2008

Page 2

5.         = Correspondence

Ms. Pilicy read a letter into the record from Raymond Leach, 6 Munson Road, Watertown, requesting a stop sign and proper warning signs and a “No Winter Maintenance” sign on Munson Road at the intersection of Linkfield Road. Mr. Cavanaugh reported they remove= d the “No Winter Maintenance”: sign because it is on the Town Road Aid Program and if they don’t maintain it in the Winter, it will no longe= r be eligible for reimbursement from the State.= It is a town road and it has to remain accessible to traffic. He will provide further information regarding the Winter maintenance. Chief Gavallas felt it wouldn’t do any harm to install a stop sign at that intersection.

MOTION:       (Mr. Tedesco, sec. Mr. Walto= n) to install a stop sign at the intersection of Munson Road and Linkfield Road.

Discussion:       None<= /p>

MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

6.         = New Business

A.        Elimination of Some Street Lights

            Mr. Cavanaugh reported he distributed a list of potential street light revision= s, due to budgetary constraints. He was directed to do this by the Town Council. He gave a report regarding Planning & Zoning’s rules regarding street light standards. The Town currently has about 1,400 street lights; approximately 2/3 of those are in Wate= rtown and Oakville, and about 1/3 are in the Watertown Fire District. He showed on a map the various loc= ations of all street lights and explained how they determined which street lights = would be eliminated. A lengthy disc= ussion ensued. The Commission felt $= 15,000 wasn’t a savings and there were too many unanswered questions. They also questioned the school= 217;s involvement in the costs, and were interested in people’ response. For those reasons, they decided to postpone any action on this item.

            = MOTION:       (Mr. Walton, sec. Mr. Tedesco) to Postpone this item until the next Police Commission meeting.

        &= nbsp;   Discussion:       None<= /p>

        &= nbsp;   In Favor:      &= nbsp;   Ms. Pilicy, Mr. Tedesco, Mr. Walton

        &= nbsp;   Opposed:         = Mr. LeBlanc

        &= nbsp;   Abstained:        None

        &= nbsp;   MOTION CARRIED (3-1-0)

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

August 13, 2008

Page 3

B.         = Pedestrian Crossing Signs on Main Str= eet, Watertown

            Chief Gavallas reported he received a letter from the Economic Development Commis= sion on behalf of the merchants requesting that in street pedestrian crosswalk s= igns be placed on Main Street to slow traffic down and make a safer environment for pedestrians. He distributed a sheet with his recommendations as follows:

            1.         = Main Street at Veteran’s Hill

            2.&nbs= p;        Main Street a Watertown Library

            3.         = Main Street at Depot Street (however this location will require further review)

            4.&nbs= p;        Main Street at Red Door Café

            Chief Gavallas reported on the type and style of the crosswalk signs being proposed. A lengthy discussion ensued regarding who would be responsible for placing and removing these si= gns on a daily basis. Some town l= eave them out all night. Mr. Tedes= co was opposed to the signs due to traffic confusion and hindering traffic. Chief Gavallas disagreed because h= e felt the signs hinder traffic in the sense that they slow cars down, which is the objective. Mr. Walton suggest= ed they install speed limit signs lowering the speed limit in that area. Mr. LeBlanc was in favor of the si= gns for safety reasons. Ms. Pilic= y felt the roads are not wide enough to support the signs, and the signs will get knocked down, especially at night. Chief Gavallas reported there are signs that can be placed on the si= de of the road, illuminated, but they are very expensive. Chief Gavallas read the following statement into the record:

            “In the spirit of community policing I feel we have an obligation to listen to = the concerns of our local merchants and taxpayers and to take appropriate actio= n to provide a safe environment to ensure our citizens can patronage local businesses. In street pedestr= ian crosswalk signs are utilized in other communities throughout the State. They are designed to alert traffic= to use caution in the vicinity of crosswalks.= Their use will undoubtedly add to pedestrian safety on the main stre= et in Watertown.”

            Ms Pilicy asked if there is a plan on who will be responsible to take these down. Chief Gavallas felt they should be left there, and if that doesn’t’ work out then they c= an talk to the merchants about putting them out in the morning and taking them= in at night. They would need 4 s= igns at $300.00 each. Mr. LeBlanc = felt the signs were necessary because people do exceed the speed limit on main street. Chief Gavallas report= ed Oakville does not= need the signs because their crosswalks are located at traffic lights.

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

August 13, 2008

Page 4

            = MOTION:       (Mr. Tedesco, sec. Mr. Walton) to Deny the request for crosswalk signs.

        &= nbsp;   Discussion:       None<= /p>

        &= nbsp;   In Favor:      &= nbsp;   Mr. Tedesco, Mr. Walton

        &= nbsp;   Opposed:         = Mr. LeBlanc

        &= nbsp;   Abstained:        Ms. Pilicy

        &= nbsp;   MOTION FAILED (2-1-1)

7.         = Unfinished Business

A.&n= bsp;            = ;    Civilian Complaint Policy

Ms. Pilicy reported she doesn’t have this done yet, but she will get it o= ut before the next meeting for the Commission’s review. Mr. LeBlanc stated they discussed = the Garrity and Miranda Rights, b= ut they never discussed the Weingarten Rights which has to do with Union repre= sentation.. Ms. Pilicy stated she will ask the Attorney. A brief discussion ensued.

&= nbsp;          Mr. Tedesco asked why the letter from the Economic Development Committee regard= ing the crosswalk signs put in their packets so they could have had time to rev= iew it?

&= nbsp;          Chief Gavallas replied he could have done that, but he didn’t think to do t= hat.

&= nbsp;          Ms. Pilicy stated in the future they will try to include those types of items in the packet.

8.         = Chairman's Report

&= nbsp;           No= ne

9.         = Chief's Report

&= nbsp;           A.=         July, 2008 - Police Department Activity

            &n= bsp;           Chi= ef Gavallas gave a report regarding the July activity in the Police Department including:

§         K-9 Training

§         Budget

§

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

August 13, 2008

Page 5

10.       Adjou= rnment

=            MOTION:=        (Mr. = Walton, sec. Mr. Tedesco) to Adjourn the Regular Meeting at 8:43 p.m.

=             D= iscussion:       None<= /p>

=             M= OTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

=             R= egular Meeting Adjourned at 8:43 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Sprano, Chairman

Watertown Police Commission

=

= Approved:     _________________= ______________

         = Lynn M. LaForme, Clerk