[0:08] Good evening. It is 5:01
[0:10] p.m.
[0:11] » This is the public safety committee
[0:13] meeting on March 16th, 2026.
[0:18] I'm Rob Wattton, chair of the committee,
[0:21] and I am calling us to order. First
[0:24] order of business is roll call and we
[0:27] have members of the uh committee here
[0:30] present. Council member Cotton, Council
[0:33] Member Holloway, as well as City
[0:35] Attorney Dina Burke, Mayor James Mayhew,
[0:40] and Rebecca Sullum. And uh welcome all.
[0:45] So, first order of business.
[0:48] Next is the approval of the agenda as
[0:52] presented. Are there any corrections,
[0:54] additions to tonight's agenda?
[0:59] Hearing none, we'll accept the agenda as
[1:02] presented. Thank you. Next, we'll move
[1:04] on to public comments. If you happen to
[1:06] be in person, we welcome your comments.
[1:09] Uh you're given up to three minutes here
[1:12] um to to present. If you're not here,
[1:16] you can always send in your comments to
[1:18] the city clerk, to the city um mayor or
[1:23] to the council members and we will make
[1:25] sure that those are noted.
[1:28] Uh we'll move on to the minutes and we
[1:31] have two sets of minutes. Uh we need to
[1:34] approve the minutes. First of all, dated
[1:36] February 17th, 2026.
[1:40] Council members, are there any additions
[1:43] to the minutes from the 17th of
[1:46] February?
[1:47] » None that I saw.
[1:48] » Seeing none, we'll go ahead and approve
[1:50] the minutes from February 17th, 2026.
[1:54] And then next is the approval of the
[1:56] minutes dated March 2nd, 2026.
[2:00] Are there any corrections to those
[2:01] minutes?
[2:04] Seeing none, we will approve the minutes
[2:06] of March 2nd, 2026.
[2:10] And now
[2:12] the real reason why you were here
[2:14] tonight,
[2:16] and that's agenda bills. We've got uh
[2:18] just one this evening. It's AB26-00005,
[2:23] ordinance amending chapter 10.24,
[2:27] compression breaks. And uh when I before
[2:30] I call the chief up to um present on
[2:33] that, we do have a modification from the
[2:36] city attorney and it's on section three
[2:41] and attorney Burke, would you care to
[2:44] fill us in on the last line, please?
[2:46] » Thank you, chair. Um in section three,
[2:48] that's the corrections by city clerk of
[2:50] code revisor. There's a minor typo in
[2:53] the last clause. It should read or
[2:55] ordinance, comma, section, comma, or
[2:57] subsection numbering. So, if um the
[3:00] committee recommends this goes forward
[3:02] to uh council, um I would recommend that
[3:05] that uh typo be fixed.
[3:08] » Council members, are there is there any
[3:10] objection to changing the wording and
[3:11] and cleaning it up as we move forward?
[3:14] Hearing none, we'll accept that as an
[3:17] amended portion to tonight's agenda
[3:20] bill. And with that, I'm going to call
[3:21] on
[3:22] on Chief Hores to bring us up to speed
[3:28] on changes to the compression brakes.
[3:30] And this is to approve ordinance 1317
[3:34] and amend the Snowquali Municipal Code
[3:37] of 10.24
[3:40] on compression brakes. You can do it
[3:43] from the comfort of your chair. You
[3:45] don't even need to stand up.
[3:47] » I have a mic now. Uh, good evening,
[3:49] council members, mayor, um, interim
[3:52] chief Gary Horesy. And this agenda bill
[3:55] seeks to repeal and replace chapter 1024
[3:59] on the compression brakes, which was
[4:00] originally adopted by the city in 1986.
[4:04] um throughout or well I'll just say the
[4:08] city of Snomi has received multiple
[4:10] complaints um regarding compression
[4:12] brakes used in the city and
[4:15] through doing some research we have and
[4:19] looking at our previous um or or the
[4:22] current ordinance we feel there needs to
[4:24] be some updates um defining what a motor
[4:26] vehicle is defining what a compression
[4:28] brake Jake brake is um or better known
[4:31] as a Jacob's brake and just kind of
[4:34] updating the code from back then to
[4:37] bring it more into the standards of what
[4:39] Snamami is now with the residential
[4:41] areas to address the concerns especially
[4:43] along the Parkway and 202 where we get a
[4:45] lot of truck traffic. Um, so we're
[4:48] asking to update that with the ordinance
[4:50] that's been presented before you, which
[4:53] define, you know, like I said, defines
[4:54] the engine compression brake, um, of
[4:57] motor vehicle, and then it describes
[5:00] when it shall be used, which we're
[5:02] saying it shall not be used in the city.
[5:05] And then we also updated the penalty
[5:08] from $50 to $250.
[5:11] Um, and then we left we added a piece in
[5:15] there talking about a signage addition,
[5:17] which we already have the signs in
[5:18] place, but our current ordinance doesn't
[5:21] really address that. So, we're adding
[5:23] we're adding that piece in there. Um,
[5:25] and with that, I'm happy to answer any
[5:27] questions or give you a little, you
[5:29] know, provide more information if
[5:30] needed.
[5:32] » Thank you, Chief. The very first thing,
[5:34] the ordinance as it stands now is from
[5:37] 1986,
[5:39] if I followed correctly. Correct.
[5:41] » And that was before the parkway was even
[5:44] imagined or or built because that came
[5:47] along about 10 years later. You couldn't
[5:51] even go up past where the hospital is
[5:55] now from 18. So just put it in context.
[5:59] Things have changed a little bit and a
[6:01] few houses been built where they're
[6:03] probably affected the most. So that's my
[6:05] commentary. Council member Cotton.
[6:09] » Yes. I just was wondering. So, um cuz
[6:13] even, you know, downtown you can hear,
[6:16] uh both those areas when trucks are
[6:20] trying to run the red light down, you
[6:23] know, to get get back to the the quarry.
[6:25] Um and they uh cuz you can hear them
[6:28] accelerating and trying to beat the
[6:30] light and then they hammer down on the
[6:32] Jake break and um and it the the sound
[6:36] carries tremendously. How will PD um
[6:41] actually enforce that? I mean, unless
[6:43] you're obviously witnessing it. Is there
[6:47] I mean, you can't really do it from uh
[6:49] citizen complaints, right?
[6:51] » No, ma'am. We have to on view the
[6:53] violation. Um we have the officers have
[6:56] been instructed to put a focus and an
[6:58] emphasis on this along the parkway
[6:59] listening for it. Um part of it is is
[7:03] there's twofold to this. Yes, we've
[7:07] and I heard it last week sitting in my
[7:09] office working on um other things where
[7:12] I heard the Jake break being utilized.
[7:14] » Yeah.
[7:15] » Um but we also have the noise coming up
[7:17] the parkway where they're just trying to
[7:19] maintain a speed. So there's but there's
[7:22] two different distinct sounds. The Jake
[7:23] brake has a little bit of a faster
[7:25] repetition to it because it's
[7:27] compression pushed back on the engine
[7:29] from the exhaust system. And so um
[7:34] we'll on view and then we will you know
[7:37] issue a citation if necessary. You know
[7:39] there's officer discretion in that. Um
[7:42] but we're we've also asked and I'll get
[7:45] into it a little bit later on the next
[7:46] presentation. But I've also asked for
[7:48] this to be addressed with the commercial
[7:50] motor vehicle division of state patrol
[7:53] um while they're out in the area just to
[7:54] provide assistance when our officers are
[7:56] tied up on things or not necessarily on
[7:58] the parkway. So, I've asked for a little
[8:00] bit of assistance that will be addressed
[8:02] more so in other other areas or they can
[8:04] site into our court and then we would
[8:07] obviously site into our court on a
[8:08] municipal side. Um whether it's under
[8:11] the 1986 version at $50 or if we update
[8:15] it in the, you know, next council
[8:17] meetings that it would be a $250 fine or
[8:20] whatever y'all may choose to change or
[8:24] whatever. This we're recommending a $250
[8:26] fine.
[8:27] » Yes. A followup council member followup
[8:30] is um so if we pass this through
[8:33] whatever the fine and I agree with it
[8:35] being a higher fine is this something
[8:37] where um we could notify all the
[8:40] trucking companies out there by Mil Pond
[8:43] um uh the owners that hey this has gone
[8:47] up and it's going to it could make a
[8:49] dent in your wallet. So, I've already
[8:52] started reaching out to some of those
[8:54] companies through our officer who's
[8:55] actually on light duty right now going,
[8:57] "Hey, we're seeing these issues." And
[9:00] one of them we'll talk about in a little
[9:01] bit and reaching out to the companies
[9:02] that we see frequently down the Parkway
[9:04] going, "Hey, we're trying to address
[9:07] this. We're giving you a heads up and
[9:09] we're just doing that communication
[9:10] going, we need y'all to help us."
[9:13] » Great.
[9:14] » So, there is that notification already
[9:16] taking place in a lot of areas.
[9:17] » Super. Okay.
[9:19] » All right. Council member Holloway,
[9:22] » Why 250?
[9:24] » Uh, I looked at different uh ordinances
[9:26] and and talked to the prosecutor's
[9:28] office and that was something that is
[9:30] just kind of becoming more of a
[9:32] standard. They range from anywhere from
[9:34] 150 to 250 based on the time frame from
[9:38] 1986. Obviously, inflation has changed
[9:42] what they what fines look like and
[9:46] um so I'm kind of trying to stay with
[9:47] industry standard right now. Okay. And
[9:51] » Go ahead.
[9:52] » Help me. Why why we're making this
[9:55] change? I again uh the defining of a
[9:59] compression brake.
[10:01] I don't necessarily believe that helps
[10:03] you in further enforcement, but it does
[10:05] define it. Defining a motor vehicle. I
[10:08] think we know a tractor is a motor
[10:10] vehicle. So, I don't think we often get
[10:11] questions along those lines. Is really
[10:14] the intent here to do some of that
[10:16] cleanup, but also to update the fine
[10:18] level. just to do everything kind of
[10:20] bring it up to speed to say that when
[10:22] they're not authorized provide the
[10:24] definition of what they are because
[10:25] there's different variations of it so
[10:27] it's not just a Jacobson break which is
[10:30] a brand name um and then yes to to
[10:33] update the penalties and then we
[10:35] obviously added the signage piece into
[10:37] this saying that we have it posted which
[10:39] we already do but it's not currently
[10:41] listed in our ordinance so we're just
[10:44] kind of bringing everything up to speed
[10:46] » And the prior ordinance inhibited you
[10:47] from enforcement No, it just we're
[10:50] trying to clearly define it so that
[10:51] there's no argument on the court side
[10:53] and prosecution saying, "Well, you
[10:55] didn't post it, but this way we're
[10:57] saying we we we have signs posted on the
[10:59] Parkway going both directions saying
[11:02] compression brakes are illegal."
[11:05] » Um, but it's not in there. So, it just
[11:07] helps us with the prosecution side when
[11:09] I ran it through them that they asked
[11:10] for that to be defined as well.
[11:15] Any further questions, council member?
[11:20] That's good. I've got one. Does speed
[11:24] have anything to do with increased
[11:26] usage? Because as you're mentioning that
[11:28] you can hear from your office, the
[11:31] trucks coming up the parkway as well as
[11:33] those that are coming down and breaking.
[11:37] » So compression brakes are used on the
[11:38] downhill.
[11:40] » They're not on the uphill. So speed can
[11:42] play a factor in it a little bit. Um
[11:46] it's it it also depends on what their
[11:48] weight load is and everything else. If
[11:50] they're hauling, let's say they're
[11:52] leaving the construction site at the
[11:54] hospital or at I90 and 18 when they were
[11:58] moving a bunch of stuff, the heavier the
[12:00] load, the louder that compression
[12:02] break's going to be because it's got a
[12:03] heavier weight limit that it's trying to
[12:05] reduce. So it's kind of a combination of
[12:07] those two. Um, and then the noise going
[12:12] up is just them carrying that work, that
[12:15] load up the hill.
[12:16] » Okay.
[12:17] » All right.
[12:17] » And it's as much a style on the part of
[12:19] the driver as it is. He can use the
[12:22] brakes. They're designed for it. He
[12:24] wants to save on the brakes. He'll use
[12:26] the Jake it. So, it driver option.
[12:30] » Okay. All right. Any further questions?
[12:34] Mayor Administration,
[12:36] uh, other council member Cotton,
[12:40] do do you have any issues moving this
[12:43] forward to the full council for
[12:45] consideration at this point?
[12:47] » No issues.
[12:48] » No issues.
[12:49] » And this is a two reading
[12:52] » Process anyway. Okay. And if there's no
[12:55] objection, we'll just go ahead and ask
[12:57] for that on the FNA calendar and and for
[13:00] on the uh regular calendar as well.
[13:04] Okay. I
[13:05] » Think it's already there.
[13:06] » All right. Yeah. Well,
[13:08] » Written ready to go tomorrow. Yeah.
[13:10] » Fabulous.
[13:12] » Okay. Excellent. Thank you. Hearing no
[13:14] objection, we will move the agenda bill
[13:16] AB26-005
[13:19] ordinance amending chapter 10.24
[13:23] compression breaks to the council
[13:26] agenda.
[13:28] And we've got two more items of
[13:31] discussion. Is there anything else? Are
[13:34] you good?
[13:36] » You're good.
[13:37] » Yes.
[13:39] All right.
[13:39] » We We realized we didn't know which one
[13:41] of us was going to cause it to be on the
[13:43] screen.
[13:43] » Oh, okay. I can do it.
[13:45] » That's important. Okay. So, while you're
[13:48] queuing that up over there. Yes.
[13:50] » Because all I do is sit here and just
[13:51] kind of entertain everyone. Um our our
[13:54] next point is to go on to discussions.
[13:57] And the very first one is the uh police
[14:01] chief timeline. And who is leading off
[14:04] on this?
[14:05] » That's the one we're trying to put on
[14:06] this.
[14:08] » Jimmy, can you promote me to panelist so
[14:10] I can share my screen
[14:11] » On the edge of our seats?
[14:31] There we go.
[14:33] » Can you all see that tweet day?
[14:37] » A bit.
[14:37] » Mayor, I presume you're presenting on
[14:39] this,
[14:40] » Correct?
[14:41] » All right.
[14:42] » All right.
[14:42] » Mayor Mayhew,
[14:44] » That is the uh the calendar for March.
[14:48] So, the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of March.
[14:52] Um this is the timeline we have for
[14:55] interviews, public interviews, council
[14:58] interviews, the various interviews that
[15:00] are going to happen uh with um the
[15:03] police chief finalist candidates. So I
[15:06] wanted to make you aware of that. Um so
[15:09] on the 23rd um there's some internal
[15:13] interviewing still going on. On the 24th
[15:17] we'll have meet and greets in the
[15:18] council chambers from 2 to 4:00. We've
[15:21] invited business owners from throughout
[15:23] the city to come in and they'll have a
[15:25] chance to just interact with the
[15:27] different candidates from 6:30 to 8. Uh
[15:31] same thing this time we've just invited
[15:33] the community residents to come in. Um
[15:36] the idea between doing those two groups
[15:39] separately is that they might have
[15:40] different sort of nature of questions um
[15:43] focus of questions. So, we want to
[15:46] enable that. And then it's also two two
[15:48] different times of day so that folks
[15:50] that can um maybe not make one can make
[15:53] the other.
[15:55] Then, uh on uh the 25th, Wednesday the
[15:58] 25th from 4 to 6:00 p.m. we'll have a
[16:01] council meet and greet. So, this is just
[16:02] you council members. Um
[16:07] chairs over there.
[16:08] » Oh, yes.
[16:10] » Yes, please. Council member C.
[16:12] » Interject. Isn't this the one where we
[16:14] had one of the um conflicts with
[16:16] schedule because that is um you know
[16:21] coming up on on when we were having the
[16:23] SVGA meeting or is this to try and get
[16:26] it done before we
[16:28] » No, that was just a there was an error
[16:29] in the email that went out to you. There
[16:31] actually never was a conflict. We just
[16:33] told you the wrong date. So the email
[16:34] that I sent to you said that the thing
[16:37] that you see there on the 25th
[16:39] » Uhhuh. In my email to you, I told you it
[16:41] was on the 24th, which would have been a
[16:43] conflict because the 24th is the SVGA
[16:46] meeting.
[16:47] » No, that's
[16:48] » I'm saying it backwards.
[16:49] » Yeah, the SVGA meetings are on
[16:52] Wednesday.
[16:52] » Yes.
[16:54] » They've always been on the last
[16:55] Wednesday.
[16:56] » All right, let I'll just make sure that
[16:58] this is clarified, but the day that we
[17:00] have lined up for you is not the same
[17:03] day as the SVGA. So now if this is an
[17:06] error,
[17:07] » I thought it got moved to Thursday by an
[17:10] email from Nicole.
[17:11] » Yeah, we never moved it. It was just
[17:13] that we told you the wrong thing. So let
[17:15] me find out. Sounds like I need to
[17:17] double check the calendar.
[17:19] Uh and um clear this up. So I'll send
[17:22] you an email.
[17:23] » Okay. meaning the three of you
[17:26] » Uh and if there's any correcting this
[17:29] and uh if there's any mistake in what's
[17:32] gone out to the full council then we'll
[17:33] correct that as well.
[17:35] » Great. Thank you.
[17:36] » Um so over those three days uh the point
[17:38] here is um well the point was to tell
[17:41] you the plan but uh three different
[17:43] groups of community
[17:46] uh meet and greets with the candidates
[17:50] um is kind of our plan over a three-day
[17:52] period.
[17:54] Uh, Council Member Holloway.
[17:57] » Uh, and where does the council
[18:00] participate in interviews?
[18:03] » Uh, that's the 4 to 6 PM meet and greet
[18:06] on the 25th.
[18:08] » That's a meet and greet.
[18:09] » Yeah.
[18:10] » It has often been the case where the
[18:11] council participates in interviews
[18:14] in addition to meet and greet.
[18:16] » We didn't wasn't planning to do that.
[18:22] I I don't like that
[18:27] again it has been practice council
[18:29] participate in the interview
[18:30] particularly of
[18:32] » Department
[18:32] » Director chief and what and at that
[18:35] level um
[18:38] » It will be hard to schedule a seven
[18:42] council member interview. No, no, no.
[18:44] » It's representative. It's like two
[18:46] council members participate in one of
[18:48] the interview panels.
[18:50] » Uh or there's usually a a staff level
[18:54] interview and then there's a uh call
[18:58] executive level interview and the
[19:01] council participates one to two members
[19:03] in that executive level interview.
[19:07] um
[19:10] mean and greet again the the positions
[19:12] have to be ratified by the council I it
[19:17] helps in that decision.
[19:19] » Yeah. So the goal here was to enable the
[19:21] full council to have interaction with
[19:23] the candidates so they'd be in a
[19:24] position to cast their vote to
[19:27] um confirm or not confirm an
[19:29] appointment. And so since every council
[19:32] member has to take that vote, the goal
[19:34] was to try and enable all of the council
[19:37] members to have interaction that would
[19:38] allow them to do that. Um I I'm guessing
[19:42] you're not against that or
[19:44] » I'm not against the meet and greet.
[19:47] Se uh representative council members
[19:49] need to participate in an interview
[19:52] panel.
[19:53] your choice where,
[19:56] but there needs to be participation by
[19:58] representative council in that interview
[20:00] process.
[20:02] We're not going to get down to issues
[20:04] over cheese and grape juice. I won't say
[20:07] wine. Uh because I assume it's not wine.
[20:11] » We wish.
[20:12] » Yeah, we wish. It should be a lot
[20:13] easier.
[20:14] » So, switching back to the meet and greet
[20:16] for just a moment. Um, the goal is to
[20:18] absolutely make that a a useful meeting
[20:20] because the only people invited are the
[20:22] seven council members. So, whatever
[20:24] format that So, I know you're talking
[20:26] about something else. I'm not ignoring
[20:27] that. I'm just saying with regard to the
[20:29] meet and greet, if you'd let us know how
[20:32] what would be the most useful format for
[20:34] the meet and greet that all seven of you
[20:36] hopefully will be able to participate
[20:38] in, I'd like to set that up in whatever
[20:40] format is most helpful. Um,
[20:45] and then your other request is have one
[20:47] or two council members involved on an
[20:50] interview panel as well. So, I'm hearing
[20:53] that, but if you, so I don't have an
[20:55] answer for you on that right now. We'll
[20:56] have to go back and think about that.
[20:57] But with regard to the meet and greet,
[20:59] if you could tell us if the, you know,
[21:02] what format would be most useful, that
[21:04] would be great.
[21:06] I think the the point is this, mayor, is
[21:10] we've all gone through several different
[21:14] panels and and department heads and and
[21:17] typically the chair of each of the
[21:19] committees is involved in it plus
[21:22] another member could be from the the
[21:24] committee or or another committee, one
[21:26] of the seven. But but being involved in
[21:30] that process has been enlightening
[21:33] because we bring the perspective of
[21:35] hopefully all seven and our concerns and
[21:39] we kind of come back with a sense of
[21:41] trust and by the time it's determined
[21:45] who the pick is, there's there's already
[21:50] um buy in by certain members and we look
[21:55] to each other for that guidance. and you
[21:57] were part of the council as well. So I
[21:59] mean this is not foreign to you as well.
[22:02] Um but I think to council member
[22:04] Holloway and I think council member
[22:06] Cotton is going to chime in here in a
[22:09] moment as well which I I welcome is it
[22:12] just we need to make sure there's a
[22:14] diversity of point of view because what
[22:17] we as the seven council members is what
[22:19] you were a part of. we we have a
[22:22] different perspective than what other
[22:24] department heads other folks that may be
[22:27] um uh stakeholders in the community and
[22:30] we come together and coales and then
[22:33] when that person is chosen hopefully
[22:36] we're all of the same mindset and and I
[22:39] think that's part of the concern and and
[22:41] secondly it comes back to open public
[22:43] meeting acts if we are seven meeting u
[22:47] the candidate I'm not sure that it's
[22:51] going to give the right perception if
[22:54] it's closed and not inclusive of the
[22:57] community so that we're not like
[23:00] creating and and making decision on our
[23:03] own. And I I I think you know, attorney
[23:06] Burke may
[23:08] want to chime in or may not. All right.
[23:11] Can we just go you brought up a whole
[23:12] bunch of points so let's go through
[23:14] them. That'd be all right.
[23:15] » Sure.
[23:16] » First off, one of the things I'm
[23:18] responding to is complaints by your
[23:20] fellow council members about council
[23:23] members who have been excluded. They
[23:25] weren't on the interview panel and have
[23:29] expressed several of them um frustration
[23:33] with that. So the goal here, my goal is
[23:36] to include the council in ways that make
[23:39] the counsel let the council get to the
[23:42] very important confirmation decision
[23:44] they have to make in the way that most
[23:46] helps you. So, this is not a um
[23:50] difference of opinion. Whatever helps
[23:52] you is what we're going to do. So, um
[23:55] what I need to hear from you is what
[23:57] would help you and then that's what
[23:59] we'll do. But do be mindful that um
[24:03] council members that aren't the ones
[24:04] that are on the interview panel have
[24:08] expressed frustration with that. So,
[24:10] I'm, you know, if we can find some set
[24:12] of things, maybe it's a meet and greet
[24:13] and panel like, if we can find some set
[24:15] of things that kind of help all seven of
[24:18] you get to the decision you need to
[24:19] make, then that's what I'm in favor of.
[24:22] Um, city attorney, one one question was
[24:24] brought up is this meet and greet um and
[24:29] OPMA concerns. Do you have any comment
[24:30] on that?
[24:31] » Uh, yes, mayor. I would recommend it
[24:33] being noticed as a special meeting. So
[24:35] technically members of the public could
[24:36] attend in the audience um but it could
[24:39] be you know whatever format you know
[24:42] council desires you know for asking the
[24:45] candidates questions.
[24:48] » Thank you council member Cotton. Um, so
[24:51] my question kind of dovtales in on that
[24:53] last part is that and I do think we
[24:56] should at least do a combination of the
[24:58] two, have several council members
[25:02] involved with the interviews and then we
[25:04] can also have the council meet and greet
[25:06] so nobody's noses get out of joint about
[25:08] not being on the interview panel. My
[25:11] question was more to you you had made a
[25:13] comment mayor about us um kind of
[25:17] coalesing or you know our vote and so in
[25:21] what when would we do that since uh as
[25:26] far as making a a decision uh of the
[25:30] council? um because obviously we would
[25:33] want to be talking about it probably
[25:36] amongst ourselves as far as you know if
[25:39] it was down to a couple candidates and
[25:41] things like that. So what's the kind of
[25:43] the vision or process we see for for
[25:46] that or
[25:48] » If I may just as a reminder the pick of
[25:52] the administrative head is the mayor's
[25:55] unless I'm wrong is the mayor's choice
[25:58] but they're confirmed by the council. So
[26:01] we go through this process. It's a
[26:03] vetting process and then the mayor gets
[26:06] to make the ultimate recommendation back
[26:09] to the council. And council member
[26:12] Holloway, you've been through this a
[26:14] gazillion times. Um, please help me if
[26:18] I'm missing anything.
[26:20] » Use a different number, but
[26:22] » You're a veteran. You're a veteran. So,
[26:25] so as far as that, I mean, what we're
[26:27] doing is we're helping vet the
[26:30] candidates and help the mayor and his
[26:32] decision, but it's ultimately the mayor
[26:34] that gets to choose who he appoints and
[26:38] we confirm. Is that correct?
[26:41] » Yeah, that's absolutely correct. And and
[26:43] the the point I'd add here is the
[26:46] council members have a lot of
[26:50] well evidently one of them has a lot of
[26:52] experience gazillion times. Um others
[26:56] have may no but in all seriousness
[26:58] council members have a perspective that
[27:00] will will advise. So I think um as I
[27:04] make this choice the advice of council
[27:06] members is something I very much could
[27:08] use. So I think there's two concepts
[27:11] here is help advise
[27:14] great that will help me and guide me in
[27:17] my decision. Um but ultimately
[27:20] you have as a body the final say you
[27:23] will either confirm or not. So you are
[27:24] also trying to accomplish your own task
[27:27] of deciding each of you how you will
[27:30] vote. So there sort of two things I'm
[27:31] hoping to get out of this. The advice
[27:33] and then obviously the confirmation of
[27:36] whatever choice. And to the question of
[27:38] what's the time frame,
[27:41] my answer is it sort of depends. It may
[27:44] be that we go through this process and
[27:48] most people feel that the answer is very
[27:50] clear, very quickly and we move quickly.
[27:53] It may be that it's not so clear. So um
[27:56] it sort of depends how we go. So, I
[27:57] haven't put in a specific date, but the
[28:00] intention would be to move following
[28:02] this process
[28:04] expeditiously, shall we say, to a
[28:06] decision.
[28:09] » So, Council Member Holloway,
[28:15] » Privately, I can tell you offline, there
[28:17] have been two separate occasions when I
[28:19] have advised the mayor, the then
[28:20] standing mayor not to pick a particular
[28:23] candidate for various reasons. I can
[28:26] name two instances in which that advice
[28:28] was
[28:29] uh taken but gone a different direction
[28:32] and proved very detrimental to the city.
[28:36] You've left no opportunity for that
[28:38] interaction that happened as part of the
[28:40] interview activity. If you are setting
[28:43] this up in which if I don't like a
[28:46] candidate, I've got to rip him open in a
[28:48] public meeting. I'm kind of at the stage
[28:50] my career I'll do that.
[28:52] Okay. But I don't think that's a proper
[28:54] way. I don't think that leads to good
[28:57] feelings at that meeting if we have to,
[29:00] you know, basically gut the candidate in
[29:02] public.
[29:04] Um whe whichever way the vote goes, uh
[29:08] I'd rather step into it and part of that
[29:10] is council representative council
[29:13] participation in the interview on which
[29:15] there can be again post discussion of
[29:20] good candidate, bad candidate, don't
[29:21] like that, like that. What does that
[29:23] mean? Um, so
[29:27] I
[29:30] you tell I'm strongly feeling it there
[29:32] needs to be council participation in an
[29:34] interview format.
[29:37] » Mayor Mayhe,
[29:38] » That's sounds fantastic. I think um my
[29:41] intention which I sort of wrote down
[29:43] here, maybe we need to actually come
[29:45] back to you and talk about or or lay out
[29:47] a consultation process. My thought was
[29:49] frankly after the council meet and
[29:52] greet, my intention was to in fact poll
[29:55] one and when I say poll, let me say it
[29:58] differently to speak with each of the
[30:01] seven council members and receive their
[30:04] advice individually and
[30:09] sort of in whatever length of time to
[30:12] sort of explore that. So I really had an
[30:14] idea of a process of really going to the
[30:16] council members who had done who had
[30:19] come hopefully all of them saying what
[30:22] did you think why tell me more you know
[30:24] what about this what about that and
[30:27] really kind of um get the full benefit
[30:29] of of that advice. So the intent my
[30:33] intent is a process of interacting with
[30:36] you all oneonone excuse me oneon-one. So
[30:40] maybe we should sort of put that in
[30:41] there. Process time frame, a
[30:44] consultation process time. So um I'll
[30:47] think about that and put it on uh put it
[30:49] on the agenda or on the calendar.
[30:53] » May May I make another suggestion? And I
[30:55] I have similar feelings. However,
[30:58] they're they're honed a little
[30:59] differently. That's all. Um and I I
[31:02] think the the concern is this.
[31:06] You have several panel, you have two
[31:09] panel interviews. I don't know exactly
[31:12] what you know what the format is on
[31:15] that. I'd like to see
[31:19] um the council members that want to
[31:22] participate in the interview process be
[31:25] included somehow some way. And for
[31:28] instance, maybe they're included in the
[31:31] panel interviews
[31:33] where there's a couple council members,
[31:37] but also give them the option if if they
[31:39] don't have the time to participate in
[31:42] the meet and greet with the business
[31:44] owners to hear that context with the
[31:47] community to hear that compact context
[31:51] or be included in the mayor's interview
[31:54] um panel. That would be my suggestion.
[31:56] And maybe all seven or six now six um
[32:02] four or five are able to and somebody's
[32:05] just simply because of their schedule
[32:07] not able to. I think that there would be
[32:10] more comfort around the council and
[32:12] that's what I'm hearing from council
[32:14] member Holloway and we've all have hired
[32:17] people whether it's through the city or
[32:19] through our own businesses
[32:22] and realize the times that you know
[32:25] those interviews you try to make them a
[32:27] little bit better each time because um
[32:31] that's the one chance where you can kind
[32:33] of
[32:35] understand a little bit more deeply
[32:37] about the candidate. And I totally agree
[32:40] with council member Holloway and that is
[32:43] just doing the meet and greet and and us
[32:45] all being really nice to each other and
[32:48] and sometimes the brutal reality is
[32:51] business has to happen and the business
[32:55] of our community is incredibly
[32:57] important. This is a very important role
[33:00] and um just you know it's it's the
[33:04] process is ultimately up to you but
[33:06] we're just asking for greater
[33:08] involvement than the meet and greet. I
[33:10] think that's what I'm hearing is there
[33:12] there's different ways that we want to
[33:14] be involved and we want to be able to be
[33:17] there to help support whomever you pick
[33:21] and and wholeheartedly support that not
[33:24] only the the confirmation but also in
[33:27] supporting them going forward. So that's
[33:30] that's just my one perspective to it.
[33:34] Council member Holloway. So, why don't
[33:36] we put on the council agenda one, a
[33:38] discussion on uh meet and greet options.
[33:41] If you guys could give us some talking
[33:43] material, it's kind of an open-ended
[33:44] question at this stage, and that'll get
[33:47] silenced. Um uh to have a discussion on
[33:52] a
[33:53] council panel interview uh and get
[33:56] you're hearing you're hearing, Jim, I'll
[33:59] tell you, you're hearing from three
[34:00] council members.
[34:02] and I'm not hearing
[34:05] acceptance of the feedback. So, let's
[34:08] put it on the council agenda. Make sure
[34:11] you're just not hearing from uh three
[34:13] minority members with full council.
[34:15] Let's have a discussion on council
[34:17] panel.
[34:18] » Okay.
[34:20] » Yeah, Barry,
[34:21] » If I could please.
[34:22] » Um I'm not sure why you're not hearing
[34:25] yes because I'm practically screaming
[34:27] yes. Um
[34:28] » Because you haven't made any changes to
[34:29] that chart. I
[34:31] » He doesn't like the font either.
[34:33] » I don't like the font either. That is a
[34:34] horrible font. But
[34:40] » That was not going to bring that up.
[34:44] » But but I So how are we changing this
[34:47] and where does council participate?
[34:49] » Yes, that deserves an answer.
[34:52] » And we don't have to have one tonight.
[34:54] You have
[34:55] » Look, this requires thought. Honestly,
[34:58] we can't put council members in panels
[35:00] with staff. Just cancel the interview.
[35:03] Staff will shut up the minute one of you
[35:04] show. That doesn't work.
[35:06] » That's inappropriate.
[35:07] » So, I absolutely hear what you want. I
[35:09] absolutely I'm trying to tell you, yes,
[35:11] we'll find a way to facilitate what you
[35:13] want. I just got to figure out how that
[35:15] will work.
[35:16] » And I'm not going to shoot from the hip,
[35:18] but give us 24 hours to figure it out.
[35:21] » That's fair.
[35:22] Okay. Thank you very much, Mayor.
[35:26] Right. Sorry.
[35:28] » Oh, I just wanted to say from a legal
[35:30] perspective.
[35:32] » Yes. Yes, please.
[35:34] » Sorry.
[35:35] » Bernie Burke, you you got precedence
[35:37] over all of it.
[35:38] » Oh, thanks. Um
[35:41] just um if we could get 24 hours notice
[35:43] so we can post potential quorum or
[35:45] special meetings. That's the only thing
[35:46] I would ask for.
[35:48] » Can we change the font?
[35:49] » I I can draft this, but absolutely. I
[35:52] will tell the person who drafted it to
[35:53] change the font.
[35:54] » Okay. That was just a side thumb at you,
[35:56] Rebecca.
[35:57] » Make it a big deal. Go ahead.
[35:58] » Yes, please. To
[35:59] » Be fair, I made it just for the mayor
[36:01] and the mayor said that he loved it and
[36:03] to ask.
[36:04] » So, I made it for him only.
[36:06] » Oh, well, now that we know that the font
[36:09] is fine.
[36:10] » No, but next time you make it for the
[36:12] mayor, you ask him, "Are you going to
[36:13] present it?"
[36:16] » Ask that next time for sure.
[36:19] » Thank you. Sorry. Sorry to out you on
[36:21] your font.
[36:23] All right. Moving
[36:28] right along. Let's let's let's switch
[36:30] gears million. But any go on. Let's
[36:33] let's switch gears over to covered load
[36:36] enforcement discussion. Uh
[36:40] » Chief, which chief wants to take this
[36:42] one on,
[36:45] » Please?
[36:45] » Uh good evening, council members again.
[36:46] Um so this is more of a discussion just
[36:49] to kind of update. We've been receiving
[36:51] a number of complaints um around the
[36:54] city, mostly down the Parkway for
[36:57] unsecured loads, uh big trucks that
[36:59] don't have their um loads covered,
[37:02] things like that. Um things falling from
[37:04] them in different areas of the Parkway.
[37:07] So, as I kind of mentioned earlier,
[37:08] we've been reaching out to some of those
[37:10] companies that have been pointed out to
[37:11] us by community members when they see it
[37:14] and they get the name off the truck and
[37:16] we'll reach out to them because again we
[37:18] have to on view that violation
[37:21] which is an RCW. And then I've asked all
[37:24] the officers to again be mindful, pay
[37:26] attention, watch for things. if you see
[37:29] something falling out or you see an
[37:30] unsecured load that they take
[37:32] enforcement action or at least an
[37:34] education piece going hey next time or
[37:37] you know whatever they feel that
[37:38] discretion needs to be um we've had some
[37:41] vehicles that have been struck um by
[37:44] falling debris things like that so we're
[37:46] taking it very seriously I've asked
[37:48] Washington State Patrol's commercial
[37:50] commercial motor vehicle division to
[37:52] come out and provide a continuous um
[37:55] assistance to us and kind of to help us
[37:58] curb some of the commercial motor
[38:00] vehicle things that are going on again
[38:03] the use of compression brakes and now
[38:05] this and they have agreed they're
[38:08] assigning that out. I've been in
[38:09] communication by email to uh one of the
[38:13] lieutenants and then the uh supervisor
[38:16] over the lieutenant that's actually over
[38:17] the commercial motor vehicle division in
[38:19] this section uh or in this district for
[38:22] them. So we're taking it serious. We're
[38:24] going to have some, you know, if we see
[38:26] it, we will address it and hopefully
[38:29] curb this uh concern. Uh, and we're
[38:32] looking at both areas, 202 and the
[38:35] Parkway, which is our, you know,
[38:37] frequently traveled areas. I don't
[38:38] haven't had any complaints of them in
[38:40] any of the subdivisions, obviously, but
[38:42] those are our main focus points.
[38:47] » I do have a question. I I think this is
[38:49] an awesome thing. Thank you for doing
[38:51] the covered loads.
[38:53] I have seen large rigs parked in
[38:57] neighborhoods and I don't know if that's
[39:00] an issue. Maybe it was weather related
[39:03] but um with loads huge industrial loads
[39:07] like for instance a week ago there were
[39:10] there was a flatbed truck with several
[39:14] rolls of astroturf huge rolls parked in
[39:18] one of the neighborhoods. I don't
[39:20] remember where. Um, and you know, the
[39:24] more that we can do to make sure that
[39:28] um, we have a lot of truck traffic that
[39:31] goes up and down the Parkway. The
[39:33] parkway is not built for trucks to begin
[39:35] with. It's built for cars,
[39:39] even though it looks like a freeway. I
[39:41] think the more that we can do to help
[39:43] bring some harmony to our residents,
[39:47] the better off we are. So, yay on Jake
[39:51] brakes, yay on covered loads. Um, third
[39:56] one is speed and you're addressing that.
[39:59] Maybe we need cameras for uncovered
[40:01] loads. I don't know. But anyway, um,
[40:04] those are my perspectives as far as this
[40:07] is a discussion for the committee. Is
[40:10] um, the other council members have any
[40:12] questions or input?
[40:15] I
[40:16] » Covered loads
[40:17] » For those companies. If you know, if
[40:20] Jake breaks are an issue, uncovered
[40:21] loads are an issue, wear and tear on the
[40:23] streets an issue, maybe that's a
[40:26] non-commercial street.
[40:28] » And and you know, to address like the
[40:31] parking concerns, we've been addressing
[40:32] parking concerns with the 18-wheelers.
[40:34] Um we had we had one not that long ago
[40:37] on Douglas um that we addressed and and
[40:42] we're constantly reviewing things. I
[40:44] mean, you're going to see several
[40:45] ordinances over the next, you know, year
[40:48] or more where we're just trying to
[40:50] update things that, you know, I think we
[40:52] have one coming forward to y'all soon
[40:54] that was original from 1903.
[40:57] Um, so there's a lot of things that we
[40:59] just have to bring and and get up to
[41:01] date and if we see something, we are
[41:03] addressing it. Um, parking is one of
[41:05] those concerns um, specifically for the
[41:09] downtown area um, because there's a lot
[41:12] of issues there. But with this issue, it
[41:15] is something that would is on our radar.
[41:17] We need to, you know, at least address
[41:19] it and and like I said, we're also
[41:21] communicating with those companies. Um,
[41:23] once we're told who they are, if
[41:25] somebody sees it, even if we don't see
[41:27] it and they just shoot us an email, that
[41:30] communication goes a long way with a
[41:32] company. when I when we contact
[41:34] management go, hey, this is what was
[41:37] seen today. Can you have a conversation
[41:39] with your truck drivers? And then we go
[41:41] from there.
[41:42] » Thank you. Council member Cotton,
[41:45] » Is is there an ordinance already
[41:47] existing like from 1986 on the covered
[41:50] load uh enforcement?
[41:53] » So that so the covering of loads is
[41:55] actually handled by the RCW. It's under
[41:57] the unsecured load. So we don't need an
[41:59] ordinance on that one. Um it's state
[42:01] law.
[42:01] » Okay. And so there's that's one of the
[42:03] reasons like commercial having
[42:05] commercial motor vehicle group from
[42:06] state patrol come out. It's across the
[42:09] board the same. They're not trying to
[42:10] enforce an ordinance citing it in our
[42:12] court. Theirs would go to district
[42:14] court. Ours would go to municipal court,
[42:16] but it's the same law.
[42:18] » Okay. Thank you.
[42:20] » Thank you, Mayor. Please, if
[42:22] » I could, um, we've had a
[42:25] increasing number of complaints come in
[42:27] on, um, covered loads. To to be
[42:31] specific, they don't complain about
[42:32] covered load. They complain about the
[42:34] little rock chips hitting their
[42:36] windshield and, you know, boom, there's
[42:38] your $500 deductible and your insurance
[42:41] rate goes up next year. So um
[42:45] the the a question I have for you is um
[42:50] as we sort of move into more enforcement
[42:52] of this, is this something you want to
[42:54] have a discussion with at council such
[42:56] that um uh and is it something you want
[43:00] us to start doing some um communications
[43:03] around so we start to get the word out
[43:06] to residents that really we are being
[43:08] responsive to this concern. Um so i.e.
[43:12] the great police department's doing some
[43:14] things. Do you want to do beyond that do
[43:17] some communications things around this
[43:19] maybe with the rest of the council and
[43:21] or with the rest of the community?
[43:27] » We'll do a round robin. My preference is
[43:30] the administration just puts out the
[43:32] message that covered loads is important.
[43:37] Jake brakes exists. We have an ordinance
[43:41] and speed is a concern and that can all
[43:43] come from the administration side except
[43:46] we have to pass this this ordinance
[43:49] piece first on that. But um other
[43:52] council members
[43:55] » In the at least the public safety
[43:57] section of the agenda coming council
[43:59] agenda coming up as chair can you just
[44:02] mention that we had conversations in
[44:04] regards to uncovered loads. They've got
[44:07] the Jake break which they'll have.
[44:09] » Um,
[44:11] » And what was the other one?
[44:12] » Speed and parking.
[44:14] » Speed and parking.
[44:15] » Okay.
[44:16] » And just make the rest of the council
[44:17] aware those conversations are going on.
[44:20] And yeah, I got in the community
[44:23] newsletter or whatever. Yeah.
[44:25] » I'm not sure you're getting the right
[44:26] audience, but Yeah.
[44:29] » Okay. Excellent. Thank you. If if I
[44:32] could on the audience, the point there
[44:33] is
[44:35] » To let the community know that we are
[44:37] responding
[44:38] » And that we're we're doing some things
[44:40] in this area. I I think is the point I
[44:42] was trying to make. Yes. The people who
[44:44] are causing the problem are probably not
[44:47] paying attention to our communications.
[44:50] » Okay. Excellent. Thank you, Council
[44:52] Member Cotton.
[44:53] » And that I was along that same line. And
[44:55] I was just wondering if um since the
[44:58] truck drivers uh you know may not reside
[45:01] in this area where they're necessarily
[45:04] reading the the community news but I
[45:07] would think that to emphasize that that
[45:11] you know washed up I is you know
[45:14] Washington State Patrol is also in you
[45:16] know adding to the enforcement fines
[45:20] have been increasing you know all those
[45:22] types of things I think are good
[45:25] um
[45:27] approaches to the to communication that
[45:29] we put out so that that we're taking it
[45:31] seriously.
[45:35] » Well done. Uh one more. Yes.
[45:37] » Are the truck drivers teamsters?
[45:42] » They may or may not be. It depends on
[45:44] the company.
[45:45] » I don't know.
[45:45] » I don't know. It may be interesting to
[45:47] contact the teamsters and say, "Hey,
[45:49] this has become an issue." whether you
[45:51] what whatever they want to do with it.
[45:53] They may do a general
[45:55] community, they probably have a
[45:56] newsletter to say, "Hey,
[45:59] there's heightened concern about
[46:00] unsecured loads and Jake breaks and all
[46:02] that."
[46:03] » May you
[46:04] » Washington Truckers Association, there's
[46:06] a number along the lines of what you're
[46:08] saying. There are groups that we can go
[46:09] to and so we'll do that as well uh to
[46:11] get the the word out. Um, as you all
[46:14] know with regard to the rocks, you know,
[46:16] it's the quarry and they go up the
[46:19] Parkway to get to I90 and when they
[46:22] don't cover the load, um, our residents
[46:26] pay for it with their windshields.
[46:29] » Well, and out of all fairness, covering
[46:32] the load helps to mitigate some of it,
[46:34] but whenever you put loose rock in the
[46:37] bed of a truck,
[46:39] » Happen. So, it's like, yeah, it's just
[46:42] one of those things. But, you know, we
[46:44] we definitely want to do everything to
[46:46] keep our uh community safe. And so,
[46:49] thank you and and thank you, Council
[46:50] Member Holloway. I will definitely make
[46:52] sure that that's part of the report out.
[46:55] Um and then, uh with that, we're down to
[46:58] unless there's anything else you want to
[47:00] add, Chief. Thank you very much, Chief
[47:02] Heresy. Um items for future discussion.
[47:06] Council member Cotton, please. Uh well,
[47:09] you know, I always have something.
[47:11] » That's okay. That's good. That's why
[47:13] » Um and this may actually be more
[47:14] relevant after uh tomorrow's open house
[47:17] or meeting um with the public. But um I
[47:21] would certainly like to see um even
[47:24] though the um uh Jupiter Power um
[47:28] battery energy storage system uh is not
[47:32] within the city limits, it's immediately
[47:34] adjacent.
[47:36] And um I do believe it's a matter of
[47:38] public safety in the fact that our fire
[47:42] department will be the first uh agency
[47:45] to respond to any uh issues there. And
[47:49] so I I certainly think that, you know,
[47:52] pending what what's happening going
[47:55] forward, this is something that
[47:57] definitely needs to be on our radar from
[48:00] a public safety standpoint.
[48:02] um that that uh we would probably be
[48:05] having more discussions about.
[48:07] » Okay. Well, we will take that under
[48:09] advisement. The um the current permit
[48:13] process has been halted. They've
[48:16] withdrawn the the permit. However,
[48:18] there's a public hearing tomorrow night
[48:20] or a public presentation tomorrow night.
[48:22] Public presentation. Thank you. Sorry,
[48:25] said the wrong thing. Um where we can
[48:27] learn more about it and we'll continue
[48:30] to lean in. Um, anything else that uh,
[48:34] Chief Bailey or the mayor would like to
[48:37] add?
[48:39] » We're not right now.
[48:40] » Good. Right. Yeah. We're just kind of on
[48:42] a
[48:42] » Something we're monitoring very closely.
[48:44] Yep.
[48:44] » Yeah. Okay. Anything else for the good
[48:47] of the order?
[48:49] » Hearing none, I will call for the
[48:51] adjournment.
[48:53] Any any objection tojourn?
[48:56] And hearing none, we stand adjourned at
[48:59] 5:50 p.m. Thank you very much.