MINUTES

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WATERTOWN POL= ICE COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING<= /b>

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WATERTOWN POL= ICE STATION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008, 7:3= 0 P.M.

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

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; Robert LeBlanc

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

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

ABSENT:           &nb= sp;            =        Mark Tedesco

OTHERS PRESENT:            Herm Desena, Deputy Police Chief

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

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; Mark Mirabito, Tamarack Energy

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;          Chris Benoit, Main Street Auto

&= nbsp;          Mr. Benoit stated he had asked for a leave of absence from the towing rotation,= but now he’d like to be reinstated to the list.

&= nbsp;          Chief Gavallas asked Mr. Benoit to send him a letter stating his request for reinstatement.

=             M= OTION:       (Mr. LeBlanc, sec. Mr. Walton) to Add Agenda Item 6B, Main Street Auto Towing Rotation Re= quest

&= nbsp;           Di= scussion        None

&= nbsp;          MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

September 10, 2008

Page 2

&= nbsp;          Russe= ll Erickson, Pleasantview Ave= nue, Oakville, CT 06779=

&= nbsp;          Mr. Erickson discussed the traffic problems on Pleasantview Avenue and Tower Road originating from the renovation of Watertown High School. He already spoke to the Superinten= dent of Schools and she has suggested they make Tower Road one way during certain h= ours of the day. He also asked if a policeman was going to be posted every school day during the beginning and dismissal of school. He also = stated the Board of Education was willing to pay their share as to the expense of a police officer. A lengthy discussion ensued.

&= nbsp;          Chief Gavallas stated the Police Department would do everything possible to ensur= e a safe environment. He will spe= ak to the Superintendent of Schools to discuss the expense of the police officer.=

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

4.         = Minutes

            A.        Regular Meeting – August 13, 2008

            =             M= OTION:       (Mr. = LeBlanc, sec. Mr. Walton) to Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of August 13, 2008.=

            =             D= iscussion:       None<= /p>

            =             In Favor:      &= nbsp;   Mr. LeBlanc, Ms. Sprano, Mr. Walton

            =             O= pposed:         = None

            =             A= bstained:        Ms. Kropp

            =             M= OTION CARRIED (3-0-1)

5.         = Correspondence

None

6.         = New Business

A.        Watertown High School Traffic Situation

            This was already discussed under Public Participation. Deputy Chief Desena reported Middl= ebury has a similar traffic situation at Pomperaug High School and the= y have staffing in the afternoon for traffic for 2 hours for dismissal and after school activities. The Board of Education for Region 15 reimburses the Poli= ce Department for the 2 officers for 2 overtime hours.

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

September 10, 2008

Page 3

            Watertown’s afternoon shift doesn’t go on the road until 2:00 p.m. and the morning shift goes off duty at 2:00 p.m., therefore Chief Gavallas has been having = a 1^st shift officer stay an hour late, or have a 2^nd shift officer sta= rt an hour early, so that’s 1 hour overtime per day. In the morning there is sufficient staffing to avoid overtime costs, however if an emergency arises, there may= not be staff available in the morning. When the D.A.R.E. officer was on duty at the High School his hours w= ere 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but he is no longer there, but it is anticipated he will be back up there. A disc= ussion took place regarding overtime costs and the budget.

B.         = Main Street Auto Towing Rotation Request

            MOTION:       (Mr. LeBlanc, sec. Mr. Walton) that we accept Mr. Benoit to be reinstated to the= towing policy/list.

            Discussion:       Mr. LeBlanc: Does the Chief have to look into the proper trucks like we did when we set up the towing list?

            =             &nb= sp;           Chief Gavallas: Yes, we did. We have the original application on file. Perhaps we can have him reiterate to us that those trucks are still on line and working.

            MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

            MOTION:       (Ms. = Kropp, sec. Mr. LeBlanc) to amend the motion that Mr. Benoit has to submit a formal letter of application to the Chief of Police by Main Street Auto, LLC.

            Discussion:       None<= /p>

            MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

7.         = Unfinished Business

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

Ms. Pilicy reported this policy is complete.&n= bsp; She asked if the Commission would like Atty. Jessell to review it or= is it something they are content to do themselves.

It was decided the Town Attorney should review this.

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

September 10, 2008

Page 4

B.         Tamarack Energy = Inc.

            Mr. Mirabito explained Tamarack Energy’s proposal to safely resolve the i= ssue of the access road on Echo= Lake Road. What was proposed was lighted signs in the direction saying trucks entering ahead when flashing. When a truck was exiting the site, the signs would be triggered to activate the lights. They were asked to im= prove the site lines so that signs would not be necessary. Purist, who is doing the old sandy= landfill just east of our location on Echo lake Road had a similar issue with ledge looking west which was blocking their safe egress. The question was raised is it the = same ledge that is causing problems for both companies and if so, maybe both companies could share in the cost of creating a safe site line. They met, but they are different ledges. They both still have = the same, individual problem. He = made a sketch to explain the problem. He explained the site lines in this direction are blocked by trees on the Fusc= o property so this whole area would have to be cleared. In this direction there is a State forest and trees there need to be removed, so there is a problem in both di= rections. He spoke to Richard Fusco, just conceptually to see if he would be open to that idea, and he said sure, but there is nothing concrete. I = think Fusco may be in discussions about selling this property and he basically indicated that he would put me in touch with the potential buyers to see if that could be part of any potential transaction, so I think something can probably be done in this direction. In the direction we would need approval from the State Department of= Environmental Protection to clear trees from the State forest. I spoke to them conceptually and t= hey said we could submit an application, but he didn’t think it would be approved. Purist did submit an application to the State<= /st1:PlaceType> Forest and the Depa= rtment of Environmental Protection denied it.&nbs= p; We also got a few estimates for removing that earth from Stoneybrook= and Dayton = and there’s about 12,000 yards of earth to be removed, double the amount he had origina= lly estimated. There is a lot of = ledge there also. Mr. Mirabito stil= l felt the best solution was the signs. Since the State probably won’t allow the clearing in the State forest, he didn’t think it was prudent to clear Fusco’s land either. A lengthy discussion ensued.

            MOTION:       (Ms. = Kropp, sec. Mr. Walton) that Tamarack Energy move forward with this project using = the proposed illuminated signage as described in a memorandum dated February 18, 2008 previously submitted to this Commission.

            Discussion:       Mr. LeBlanc: How many signs?

      = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;     Mr. Mirabito: One in each direction. The State Departme= nt of Transportation has guidelines on where that sign should be located. He showed on the sketch about where these signs would be located.

            =             &nb= sp;           Mr. LeBlanc: What is the distance between where= the sign is?

            =             &nb= sp;           Mr. Mirabito: About a minimum of 375 feet. That’s based on the 85^t=
h percentile speed which is 48 mph.

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Regular Meeting

September 10, 2008

Page 5

            =             &nb= sp;           Mr. LeBlanc: So that’s going to be in fron= t of the State forest?

      = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;     Mr. Mirabito: Yes.

            =             &nb= sp;           Mr. LeBlanc: Is that a safety fac= tor?

            = ;            &n= bsp;          Mr. Mirabito: That’s al= l per Department of Transportation guidelines.

            =             &nb= sp;           Ms. Sprano: Mr. Cavanaugh has already approved= it.

            MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

8.         = Chairman's Report

&= nbsp;           No= ne

9.         = Chief's Report

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

            &n= bsp;           Chi= ef Gavallas gave a report regarding the August activity in the Police Departme= nt including:

§         Code Red System is working well.

§         Attended the Annual Police Chief’s Conference and he received a $1,500 training scholarship from Providence Universit= y in Rhode Island.

§         New England Association is on record attempt= ing to get more funding for the COPSMORE grant which allows for both equipment = and staff.

§         High School traffic situation was already di= scussed.

§         All department heads should be involved in professional associations because you have a much stronger voice as a group= .

10.       Adjou= rnment

=            MOTION:=        (Mr. = LeBlanc, sec. Ms. Kropp) to Adjourn the Regular Meeting at 8:12 p.m.

=             D= iscussion:       None<= /p>

=             M= OTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

=             R= egular Meeting Adjourned at 8:12 p.m.

Watertown Police Commission

Regular Meeting

September 10, 2008

Page 6

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Sprano, Chairman

Watertown Police Commission

=

= Approved:     _________________= ______________

         = Lynn M. LaForme, Clerk