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PSC 11.12.09CUPERTINO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Thursday, November 12,2009,7:00 p.m. Cupertino City Ilall, Conference Room A CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Tamara Pow called to order the regular meeting of the Cupertino Public Safety Commission at 7:09 p.m. on Thursday. November 12, 2009 in the Cupertino City Hall, 10300 Torre Avenue, Conference Room A. Cupertino. California 95QI4. I1. ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Tamara Pow Daniel Nguyen Nina Daruwalla Craig Lee Commissioners Absent: Charles Caldwell Staff: Captain " ]'em Calderone, Santa Clara County SherifFs Office Staff Absent: Santa Clara County Fire Department Other Present: 7ih Grade Students of Kennedy Middle School III. ORAL COMrNIUNICAIIONS Students from Kennedy Middle School involved in the Lego Competition presented to the commission their outline plans to resolve the traffic congestion around their school. Their research and study have shown that driving to school increases pollution by 15 percent (15 %) and physical inactivity by 23 percent (230/,)). Their traffic survey revealed that the parents blocking the drop -off zones and stopping in the middle of traffic causes most of the congestion. The students created a map outlining how thev can divert traffic to a drop- oft'zone for vehicles and block off certain streets in the morning and afternoon hours limited to pedestrians and bicyclists. ]'his would create safety around the school, which will encourage more students to walk or bike to school. The students have launched a website: www.sapphirefcrce.org, which focus on safe bike and walk zones and different environmental issues in the community. Commissioner Pow commended the students for their efforts on their presentation and in creating an excellent plan. There are several issues that have to be taken under consideration, such as, the residents that live around the school, safety issues with pedestrians and bicyclist sharing the same route, road signs, and emergency vehicles access of the blocked off areas. Captain Terry Calderone recommends that they meet with Public Works to discuss their plans and the impact that will affect the school and the community. IV. WRITTEN COrNIMUNICAIIONS ']'here were no written communications to discuss at this regular meeting. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES I. October 08, 2009 ACTION: YES VOTE: YES NIOTION: Daniel Nguyen SECONDED: Nina DarinValla 4 to 0 Votes taken; all in favor to approve the minutes of October 08, 2009. VI. OLD 13USINESS I. Radar Speed Signs, further Discussed and Approval of project Plan ACTION: YES VOTE: YES MOTION: Tamara Pow SECONDED: Nina Dartnvalla 4 to O a. Further discussions with Council and Mayor Mahoney Commissioner pow met with Mayor Mahoney, Vice -Mayor Chris Wang, and COnncillttember Mark Santoro to discuss further interest in the radar speed signs. Since there are other issues and projects the PSC can focus on, the radar speed signs may be revisited in the future. Commissioner Pow motioned to remove the radar speed signs from future agendas; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Nina Daruwalla; votes taken all in favor to remove the radar speed signs from future agendas. 2. Discussion of Walk /Bike /Carpool (WBC) to School project ongoing a. WBC Grant Application from Lawson Middle School ACTION: YES VOTE: YES MOTION: Tamara Pow SECONDED: Nina Daruwalla 3 to 0 1 Abstention Lawson Middle School requested 5400 for printing of Flyers and banner to promote students and parents to walk, bike or carpool to school. Commissioner Pow motioned to approve the grant application; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Daruwalla; votes taken: Commissioners Pow, Daruwalla, and Daniel Nguyen in lhVor of approving the —,rant application. Commissioner Craig Lee abstains from placing his vote because the copy of the application was not available for commissioners review and due to it lack of a written statement of the grant program. b. WBC Grant Application from Stevens Creek Elementary School ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No OtoO Stevens Creek Elementary School requested $2;000 for the Freiker Program to purchase the start -up software that will record the number of students that walk or bike to school. Commissioner Pow discussed with the Council regarding this program and there were concerns of the associated ongoing yearly cost. There are three questions and concerns the commission and Captain Calderone have. 1) Is there a portable unit available to test at different locations; 2) Are they able to obtain other fundings. as mentioned in their application from the different organizations: 3) The discrepancy of the ongoing costs as mentioned in the website was different than their presentation to the commission from the October 08, 2009 regular meeting. Commissioner Pow will contact Lesley Reid regarding the questions and concerns of the commission. c. W13C Grant Application from Garden Gate Elementary School ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0to0 The sub - committee approved the grant application from Garden Gate Elementary School for S 132 for shoe tags to encourage the students to participate in the walk, bike, or carpool to school program. d. Letter to Principal and Teachers ACTION: YES VOTE: YES MOTION: Tamara Pow SECONDED: Craig Lcc 4 to 0 Commissioner Pow discussed with the commission how the letter to the principals and teachers should be presented. Commissioner Pow motioned for the letter to be signed by the chair, printed on the city's letterhead, and distributed by U.S. mail, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Lee: votes taken: all in favor of the chair signing the letter on the city's letterhead and mail by the postmaster. c. PSC Traffic Complaint Reporting ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0100 Commissioner Lee discussed with the commission documenting traffic complaints. lie presented his draft form and requested the commission to email him with their feedback. This form documents who is making the complaint, what is the problem, and where is it occurring. The commission discussed changes to improve the form and creating a name for the form. This agenda item will continue to nest month's regular meeting to discuss the feedbacks from the other commissioners. f. Crossing Guards ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0to0 Commissioner Pow, discussed with the commission the need for more crossing guards throughout all the schools. In Oakland, a student was killed crossing it street and the district placed a crossing guard at the location after the incident. The commission discussed the concerns of the city about using parent volunteers as crossing guards due to liability reasons. Commissioner Pow, prefers crossing guards as it separate agenda item in future regular meetings. W13C Survev Data ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0to0 Commissioner Nguyen discussed with the commission the survey results collected by the SRO's. Kindergarten grades were not included in this survey because the parents are required to walk the students to their classrooms. The commission all agreed that the survey form needs improvement due to misunderstanding the collection instructions on the form. The commission will discuss changes to the survey form at the nest month's regular meeting. h. Documenting W13C Program ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0to0 Commissioner Lee recommends documenting and archiving the approved grant applications. Commissioner Pow announced that documenting the approval of the grant application in the minutes is sufficient. Captain Calderone clarified that the approved grant applications are kept on file by the city's accounting department after disbursement as an audit trail. Commissioner Nguyen further clarify that the minutes are online and the approved grant applications may be viewed at the city off ice upon request. 3. Discuss coordinating WBC events with "feen and Bike /Pedestrian Commissions ACTION: YES VOTE: YES MO'T'ION: Tamara Pow SECONDED: Daniel Nguyen 4 to 11 Commissioner Pow discussed with Councilman Santoro regarding the lack of interest from the Teen Commission for a joint involvement with the WBC project. The Teen Commission has their own projects they are focusing on, and Commissioner Pow emailed Lauren Phillips to inform her of the PSC support. Captain Calderone announced that the bike racks for Kennedy Middle School are under consideration for installment. Commissioner Pow motioned to remove this agenda item from future regular meetings; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Nguyen; votes taken. all in favor to remove this agenda item from future regular meetings. VII. NEW BUSINESS I. Public Safety Commission Work Plan a. Lehigh Cement Factory AC'T'ION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 0to0 Commissioner Pow discussed with the commission the situation of the Lehigh Cement is not within the jurisdiction of the city, but it is affecting the citizens of Cupertino. The Council plans to monitor their activity and they have developed a committee to oversee this problem. b. Day Care Traffic Issues ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No X11 Commissioner Pow discussed with the commission the concern of traffic around day care because of the recent incident at the Chinese school. Captain Calderone announced that the City is reevaluating different aspects of the current policies and protocols of the day care licenses and if they are complying with state and federal standards. c. School Resource Officers (SRO) Issues ACTION: YES VOTE: NO MOTION: No SECONDED: No 4 0to0 Commissioner Lee requested information on the roles and responsibilities of the SRO's versus parent volunteers, and if they are doing enough to prevent crimes at the schools. Captain Calderone clarified that the SRO's and deputies are involved with the activities during and after school hours. If the schools make requests for special safety education than the SRO's and deputies will provide those resources. Commissioners Daruwalla expressed her satisfaction and commended the SRO's for their efforts working with the schools and the students. d. Dossing Guards AC'T'ION: YES VOTE: YES MOTION: Tamara Pow SECONDED: Daniel Nguyen d to 0 Commissioner Pow discussed with Vice -Mayor Wang the crossing guard issues of training and volunteers, such as, parents from the schools and from the senior center. Due to recent safety and liability issues, parent volunteers from Stevens Creek and Garden Gate Elementary Schools have been removed from crossing guard duties. Vice -Mayor Nang suggested a crossing guard training program similar to the city's CERT Program. This training program may certify and insure volunteers by the crossing guard company, the city, or the district. The program should develop strict parameters and guidelines to cover the safety and liability issues. Vice -Mayor Wang suggests, and would organize a meeting with the superintendent, Mayor Mahoney, Captain Calderone, and others to discuss how to develop this program. Commissioner Pow motioned to include crossing guards in future agendas; the motion seconded by Commissioner Nguyen: votes taken; all in favor to include crossing guards in future agendas. Commissioner Daruwalla volunteered to gather infomtation on the crossing guard issues. VIII. REPORTS I. Santa Clara County Sherili's Office Captain Calderone reports that everything is the same as last month's' report and response times are still within the goal of the city. Burglaries from vehicles are still prevalent, residential burglaries increased last month. but still Iota compared to the past. Several automobile thefts occurred at Cupertino Square and they are currently investigating the incidents and placing bait vehicles in the area. Citations for moving violations and citations issued at the schools slightly increased, and speeding citation remains consistent. Automobile accidents have increased drastically. In August, accidents increased from 54 to RI, and 72 in October. The accident on Stevens Creek Boulevard on Tuesday, the bicyclist was not wearing a helmet, the driver is a student attending De Anza College, and the incident is still under investigation. ']'here are more vehicle accidents than bicycle accidents in front of De Anza College due to the number of students running late and driving at high speeds. There were two (2) vehicle pursuits; First pursuit occurred on Steven Canyon Road and Montebello Road, fast suspect was under custody and second suspect captured later with the volunteered assistance from the quarry; second pursuit occurred while on regular patrol of the neighborhoods. Both incidents, the deputies came upon the suspects breaking into vehicles. 2. Commissioner Report Commissioner Pow announced that the Mayor's meeting was cancelled. Commissioner Daruxvalla volunteered to attend the next Mayor's meeting. IX. FUTURE AGENDA FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING L Walk /Bike /Carpool to school incentive program 2. Public Safety Commission Work Plan 3. Crossing Guards X. ADJOURNMENT The regular meeting was adjourned at 9:38 p.m. XI. NEXT MEETINGS Next regular meeting schedule for Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: Daine Chacuk Executive Assistant ro Captain Terri Culderone December 07, 2009