Minutes 1987-05-28 SP
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MINUTES
BUDGET STUDY SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1987
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 E. BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
The City Council met for a Budget Study Session with Mayor Howard
Mankins presiding. Present were Council Members Dorace Johnson, Mark
M. Millis, Gene Moots and D. G. Porter.
The Police Department Budget was the first agenda item. Lloyd
Turner, Traffic Safety Consultant, and William Marconi, Traffic Engineering
Consultant, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California
at Berkeley, spoke to the Council. Mr. Turner and Mr. Marconi reported
on their recently completed evaluation of the Police enforcement and
engineering programs of the City of Arroyo Grande. They said the primary
objective of their report is to reduce traffic accidents in the City
by strengthening the City's Police enforcement and engineering programs.
Issues they discussed were increasing Police staffing levels in
order to reduce fatal or injury accidents in the City; the benefits to
the City of a Parking and Traffic Commission; City application to the
Office of Traffic Safety for a "Driving Under the Influence" grant; improving
traffic signal operation; making street signs more visible; the cost
effectiveness of increasing the number of arrests and citations; the
time of day, place and cause of accidents; motorcycle officers, and the different
kinds of warrants which should be used in the streets of the City.
Mayor Mankins suggested that the Council refer the Report to the
Chief of Police for making recommendations back to the Council. Mr. Turner
and Mr. Marconi said priority recommendations would be, 1) applying for
a DUI grant, and 2) training for officers. They said the traffic engineering
recommendations have little cost connected to them, and that manpower
can be used more effectively.
Chief of Police James Clark spoke to the Council and referred to
his May 27, 1987, memo concerning the Report. He summarized his memo I
and said there were 452 more citations issued during the first four months
of 1987, while accidents were reduced, 98 in 1987 compared to 112 in
1986. He said drunk driving arrests were increased from 34 in 1986 to
45 in 1987. He said these are positive signs that the new programs and
methods are working. He said the Police Department would continue to
seek better ways to make the streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists
and the motoring public.
During the budget discussions, there was consideration of the Police
Department staffing and salaries, services and supplies, operating equipment
and vehicles. Additional manpower and computers for the department were
discussed. It was the consensus of the Council that the department should
be given three additional sworn officers, one Community Service Officer
(funded by an OTS), and three additional computers.
Adjournment was at 5:08 P.M.
MA YOR
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
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