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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-12-10city council minutesBook 22 Page 349 SPECIAL MEETING December 10, 1981 4:00 p.m. The Meeting was called to order by Mayor McCluskey. The Roll of the City Council was called with the following members present: Williams, Raymond, Mallea, Hopper, Carter, and Betts. Absent: none. (DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE PRISONERS BEING KEPT AT THE COUNTY JAIL) The Mayor stated that he would like to start the discussion by reading a letter to the Mayor, City Council, and the Chief of Police from the Building Official and the Assistant Fire Chief as follows: Requirements are drawn from the Uniform Building Code, Life Safety Code and Uniform Fire Code. Occupancy: 1 -3 Type of construction: I -FR Occupant load: 28 people Total concept: All penal facilities shall be so designed, constructed, maintained and operated as to minimize the possibility of a fire emergency requiring evacuation of occupants. Because the safety of occupants of penal facilities cannot be assured adequately by dependence on evacuation of the building, their protection from fire shall be provided by appropriate arrangement of facilities, adequate staffing and careful development of operating and maintenance procedures composed of the following: A. Proper design, construction and compartmentation; B. Provision for detection, alarm and extinguishment; C. Fire prevention and the planning, training and drilling in programs for the isolation of fire, transfer of occupants to areas of refuge or evacuation of the building (contact the Fire Department for fire evacuation procedures) U.B.C. Section 1009 - Fire Alarms An approved fire alarm system must be installed in all Group I occupancies. It is the determination of the Building and Fire Departments that the fire alarm system presently installed in the jail does not provide an adequate safeguard in the case of fire. We would require that smoke sensing devices be placed in (2) two of the corridors within the cell block. The detectors must be connected to the main alarm system located in the office area of the police station. L.S.C. Section 10- 4.2.10 - Emergency Lighting Emergency lighting shall be provided in all buildings where inmates are housed overnight. There must be one additional emergency lighting pack installed in the tributary corridor which leads to the group cell. U.F.C. Section 13.301 Installation of Fire Protection Appliances It will be required that the one 10 lb. type A.B.C. compartmentized fire extinguisher be installed in or adjacent to the cell block area. This inspection was confined to the cell block area only. If the City is planning to continue utilizing this building, it would be advantageous to the employees and public as well if monies could be set aside to correct the numerous violations which exist through- out the building. Book 22 Page 350 The Mayor said that as can been seen, the costs involved in opening the Caldwell jail to use were very minimal. It would probably take about two days to get it done. He further stated that he had made some phone calls; one in particular which was to Nampa on the cost of their jail operation. They informed the Mayor that they actually made $12,000 last year in their jail facility which was profit. They rent the facility to Federal prisoners which the Mayor did not think could be done in Caldwell. Their direct expenses were meals for $2.70 a day; the laundry was $1.50 a day; their jailer which was a patrol officer was minimal. The Caldwell Police Chief had mentioned that it would be about $3.00 a day for each prisoner. The County has not given Caldwell a firm figure, but regardless, he felt strongly that Caldwell had nothing to gain and every- thing to lose by not cooperating with the County if they can do so and as long as it was not detrimental to the community. The Mayor further said that he has had a long term desire, as has most of the Council, of consolidating the Police Force and the Sheriff's Department. If Caldwell pulls out. o Canyon County Jail at this time, he was afraid it would destroy any possibility in the future of it over happening. I-Ie had visited with one member of the Sheriff's Staff and he indicated that the situation had tempered out and they would prefer that the City and County get together and settle something. The Police Chief was recognized and stated that if it was the pleasure of the City Council, they could pursue the renovation of the present facility. In light of the recent developments at the Sheriff's Department, the Chief stated that he had made arrangements for an inspection by the State Jail Inspector and also three people from the Asso:.iation of Idaho Counties have been contacted to make an inspection over and above that which has been done by the Sanitation Department and the fire Department, probably adding a few things to their relatively short list of things that would have to come up to the specifications that have been laid down by the Idaho Sheriff's Association. As was articulated by the Mayor, for a number of reasons both politically and economically, if it was feasible to do at all the City was certainly better off where the - were. It has been indicated that: they could use some help over there and the Police Department was trying to lend assistance when they can and have an officer there now. The Police Department will continue to do this as long as they can provide the assistance. The Police Chief further commented that as far as making any recommendations, he thought it would be inappropriate for him to do so at this time because: frankly, they did not know what the Sheriff's Department would come up with in the way of a fee schedule for keeping the prisoners. He was not necessarily comfortable with altering.the enforcement posture out on the street, but there was those violations that that the Police Department could spend a little bit more time with at their office and not necessarily have them booked at the Canyon County Jail. They have instituted that kind of thing and it does necessitate more officer time off the streets, but at the same time they were not overloading the jail with traffic offenses that were not regarded as bookable offenses and sometimes we do boob: people who have no local address o local identification. This was done for security purposes so to assure that they will appear. The Police Chief again stated that he had no recommendation for the City Council as he did not have enough information from what the Sheriff's Department was likely to do. They were prepared to go either way. The Mayor and City Council discussed this issue at some length. Councilman Raymond stated that he would certainly hope that the City of Caldwell could continue to use the County Jail. One of the things that the City Council had been trying to do for some time was to combine services and they were at this time talking about the same tax dollars. He felt that it would be easier to man one jail than two from the manpower aspect and would hope that negotiations would continue. It was his hope that the Mayor and a member of the Council would continue to work with the County Commissioners and that. eventually this combining of services would come about. Councilman Betts stated that he wanted to see the City keep going in the same direction as they have been. In talking with one of the Commissioners, Councilman Betts felt that he was also taking a positive approach. Both the County and the City have learned new Book 22 Page 351 things with regard to this issue and it would be advantageous for both to work the problem out. It would be necessary to look at what would be the least expensive and also what would be most logical. The Mayor also pointed out that the other communities in the County were involved in this issue as well as Caldwell. Councilwoman Williams stated that she felt that the City of Caldwell must have a written agreement from now on. Councilwoman Mallea also agreed that there must be a written agreement and was very much in favor of working with the Commissioners Any fee which was charged at this time would have to be considered by both the City and the County. The first step would be to make some kind of a determination as to what the fee would be on both sides. Perhaps the City could make an offer or delegate a Committee to meet with them so there would be a fee to work with. Councilman Hopper was recognized and stated that he concurred with the need of a written agreement, but it seemed to him that a fact finding committee was necessary. He felt that to come up with any answers at this meeting would be premature. Councilman Hopper further commented that there was two basic issues at hand; what does it cost the County to house our prisoners and what does it cost the City in the care of the dogs. If these dollar amounts were pretty equal, then an agreement can be written. If there was a wide discrepency between the two, then that would be the basic issue. The Mayor said that what he wanted more than anything else was the general philosophy of the City Council. He then asked for a motion to pr %oceed in the direction that they have discussed. MOVED by Williams that a Committee of the Mayor, Councilman Betts, and the Chief of Police be appointed to negotiate with the County in the direction of staying with the County if possible. Councilman Hopper stated that he would SECOND this motion if Councilwoman Williams would include in her motion that the City Attorney would work closely with the Committee. Councilwoman Williams agreed with this request. MOTION CARRIED (SET INTEREST RATE FOR L.I.D. BONDS) The Mayor stated that he would 'like to set the interest rate on the L.I.D. bonds so the City could pursue selling these bonds. generally, the feed back was the suggestion of nine percent. If the City goes above nine percent, the bonds will not sell as well. If the City was to have L.I.D.s, they were going to have to sell the bonds. MOVED by Raymond, SECONDED by Carter that the interest rate for the L.I.D. bonds for L.I.D. 81 be set at nine percent. (DECISION OF THE APPEALS EXAMINER ON RUIZ CASE) MOTION CARRIED The Mayor read a letter received with regard to the appeals examiner on the Ruiz case and this item was discussed at some length by the City Attorney and the Council. No action was taken. (RESOLUTION FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS) Councilman Hopper was recognized and stated that he would seem. appropriate to him to enter the Resolution passed by the County Commissioners in the City's official records. The Mayor agreed to this and asked that a motion be made that this Resolution be presented to the City Clerk to be entered into the record. MOVED by Hopper, SECONDED by Mallea that the Resolution passed by the County Commissioners on December 7, 1981, be entered into the City of Caldwell's records. MOTION CARRIED Book 22 The Resolution was as follows: Page 352 The motion was made by Commissioner Jensen and seconded by Commissioner Bledsoe that the Canyon County Board of Commission table the Resolut:.ion. establishing -the amount of the fee for housing people in the Canyon County Jail for the purpose of receiving input from the other City officials in the Canyon County until January 6, 1982. fees will be billed to the cities as provided by Idaho Code 20 -605. The City Attorney was then recognized and stated that based on some correspondence he-had received in the last week regarding personnel, he would request that the City Council adjourn and convene into an Executive Session. It was then MOVED by Williams, SECONDED by Betts that the City Council adjourn and convene into an Executive Session pursuant to the Idaho State Code, Section 67 -2343 for the purpose of discussing personnel. Roll call vote. Those voting yes: Williams, Raymond, Mallea, Hopper, Carter, and Betts. Those voting no: none. Absent and not voting: none. MOTION CARRIED EXECUTIVE SESSION December 10, 1981 5:10 P.M. The Executive Session was called to order by Mayor McCluskey. The Roll of the City Council was called with the following members present: Williams, Raymond, Mallea, Hopper, Carter, and Betts. Absent: none. After discussing the personnel problems with the City Attorney, the Meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m. APPROVED AS written THIS 1 5th DAY OF Decemb e.r 1981.` City C1er - -kC,- ATTEST: