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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997.0318.TCWSM.Minutes TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE WORK/STUDY SESSION OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS TOWN COUNCIL MARCH 18, 1997 A public meeting of the Fountain Hills Town Council was convened and called to order by Mayor Miles at 6:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 18, 1997, in the Fountain Hills Town Hall Council Chambers, located at 16836 E. Palisades Blvd., Building B, Fountain Hills, Arizona. ROLL CALL- Present for roll call were the following members of the Fountain Hills Town Council: Mayor Jerry Miles, Vice Mayor Bill O'Brien (late) and Councilmembers Don Lawrence, Marianne Wiggishoff, Sid Apps, Al Poma and Penfield Mower. Also present were Town Manager Paul Nordin,Town Clerk Cassie Hansen,and Marshal Steve Gendler. Mayor Miles reversed the agenda items to allow Deputy Chief Sheridan to make his presentation prior to accepting public questions and comments. He anticipated the Council would start the decision-making process regarding future law enforcement options starting with the second Council meeting in April. AGENDA ITEM#3-PRESENTATION BY MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEPUTY CHIEF JERRY SHERIDAN CONCERNING WHY FOUNTAIN HILLS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONTRACT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES. Deputy Chief Jerry Sheridan presented a computer-enhanced video display of the services and benefits provided by the Sheriff's Department for the Town of Fountain Hills. He pointed out that the Town was the largest contract for law enforcement services in Maricopa County and that the Sheriff's Office was committed to continue to provide the best possible services with the least amount of expenditures. He said the County Board had affirmed the relationship with Town officials because of the contract. He gave a brief overview of the many bureaus within the Sheriff's Office, the fourth largest in the nation. He stated because the MCSO has been providing law enforcement services in Fountain Hills for many years, his officers know the area, know who the criminals are and how to deal with issues relating to crime trends. He said community-orienting policing was used by the MCSO as a familiarity practice to involve officers with residents and property owners as well as business people throughout the town. He pointed out the liability issues was a major concern. He referred to a case in South Tucson where one of the police officers had shot an investigative officer who was trying to serve a search warrant. The resultant suit almost bankrupt the city but terms with the officer had been reached to permit annuity payments rather than a lump sum. He pointed out that the liability for such an issue would have been the responsibility of the MCSO rather than the Town. He said the contract amount did not have hidden costs but provided for full services from MCSO if needed. Some of the auxiliary services included in the cost of the contract were enhanced 911 communications,investigation officers, investigative support, and enforcement support such as search and rescue volunteer personnel as well as posse and reserve members. He explained that when a vacancy occurred due to the training schedule of an officer, another officer was assigned to fill the vacancy until the regular officer returned. Other support agencies included aviation support, scuba divers, canine officers and bike patrol. Deputy Chief Sheridan suggested the Town select a Town Law Enforcement Manager to be the command officer responsible for patrol operations and offered to supply candidates for this position. He reviewed a chain-of-command spreadsheet which included accountability levels of staff. He pointed out the contract included additional transportation services of prisoners from the jail to the courtroom which normally would prevent police officers from performing their regular duties and/or incurring additional costs to the Town. He said the cost model had worked effectively for the last two years and that all benefits, overtime costs and paper supplies were included. He said the squad cars had traveled over 100,000 miles in the town in the past year and in the event of a decommissioned patrol Minutes of the Work/Study Session of the Town Council 3/18/97 Page 1 of 3 car,replacement would take place the next day per the contract. He displayed survey results of the costs of a police department based on population. The Town of Fountain Hills paid $74 per person as compared to $309 per person in Paradise Valley which has its own police department. He said other items to consider were the existing radio equipment communications system that MCSO presently used as well as their plans for improving the system by the year 2000. He said the regional staffing, the inclusion of personnel training expenses and the evidence security for the storage of stolen or confiscated property were additional reasons to consider the continuance of services from MCSO. He stated that even if Fountain Hills did not contract with the MCSO, the Sheriff's Office would still help in various matters such as investigations, but at a different level of service. He supported the Fountain Hills Posse's efforts in the community which included over 9000 hours of service during the past year. He explained that the Sheriff's policy had always been that there was no dedicated posse to a community when the Sheriff's office does not provide contract law enforcement service to that community. He said the maintenance of quality of life issues, preservation of a low crime rate, and conserving costs were important considerations. He offered to assist in the interview process, if desired. He recommended a full time MCSO contract be approved and that current town employees would be considered for employment. AGENDA ITEM#2 -DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC INPUT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND/OR THE CONTINUATION OF THE TOWN'S CURRENT CONTRACT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES WITH MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. Mayor Miles asked about the county-wide 911 service. Deputy Chief Sheridan said it was provided throughout the county but individual communities had experienced problems with communications. Councilman Lawrence asked how many calls were answered which provided search and rescue services. Deputy Chief Sheridan answered that there were no calls but that services were available. Councilman Lawrence likewise asked about aviation support. Mr. Sheridan said there were no records kept but that there had been some instances where the helicopter had assisted. Councilman Lawrence asked Town Manager Nordin how the Town handled the liability issue if the town were to organize their own police department and if the town would go bankrupt if presented with a large lawsuit similar to South Tucson's tragedy. Mr. Nordin said he was familiar with the 1984 incident and felt that the situation would not have bankrupted the city. Wally Hudson, the Town's risk manager, said the Town of Fountain Hills currently carried five million dollars of liability insurance and additional insurance could be purchased. Mr. Nordin said a tragedy resulting in a court settlement would not bankrupt the town. Councilman Apps asked how much of an increase in premiums would occur if the town decided to form its own police department. Mr.Nordin said he would have revised figures in four to six weeks with respect to increased insurance costs. Hudson said he had approached the risk pool with a request for estimates. He said if 6 cars were purchased and ten additional officers were hired for our own police department, an additional amount of between $22,000 and $30,000 per year would need to be allocated for insurance premiums keeping with the $5 million dollar policy limit. Deputy Chief Sheridan explained that the current Fountain Hills Posse also performed work in other communities but was primarily based in Fountain Hills and would still be available to the Town, but not as the highest priority. Mayor Miles asked if a community paying real estate taxes to the County for Sheriffs services, such as Rio Verde, pays more than a municipality under contract with the Sheriffs office. He also asked whether Fountain Hills residents should be entitled to the same support services because they also paid the same real estate taxes for Sheriffs services. Mr. Nordin stated a volunteer posse would be perpetually supported and pursued in the event the Town decided to form its own police department. He said they had always played a vital force in the community. He further stated that the estimates for the formation of a local police department had been determined by the level of services currently provided by the Sheriff's Department but that the cost for additional levels of service was not Minutes of the Work/Study Session of the Town Council 3/18/97 Page 2 of 3 - predictable. Residents in the audience who addressed the Council were James Jeselun, who presented examples of the costs for various levels of service and supported the MCSO contract; Admiral Rohleder, who supported the continuity of a local police department; Chris Graca, who also supported continuity; Bob Travis, who supported the establishment of a local task force; Al Crowley, who supported a local department; Linda and John Kavanagh, who supported a local department, and Keith McMahan, who supported a local police department. Charlie Fox, who asked to make a presentation, offered information which supported the startup of a local police department. Stan West supported the continuance of the MCSO contract and Loren Schroeder, a member of the Sheriff's Dept., also expressed his approval for the Sheriff's Office contract for the future. ADJOURNMENT. Councilman Lawrence MOVED to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Poma SECONDED the motion which CARRIED unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS By: Jerry Miles, May A 1"1'hST: C ' Cassie B. Hansen, Town Clerk PREPARED BY: S..CY.L.."..-Aro.ik Linda D. Lemm6, Administrative Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Session Meeting held by the Town Council of Fountain Hills on the 18th day of March, 1997. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 3rd day of April, 1997. CAVId-AA.. /6 /4•Lt.4"--) Cassie B. Hansen, Town Clerk Minutes of the Work/Study Session of the Town Council 3/18/97 Page 3 of 3