The Plattsburgh Common Council reviewed a number of topics including body cameras for the police department and geo-fencing at its latest meeting.
Councilors hold a work session prior to the regular session to discuss in depth items on the regular meeting’s agenda or other issues of interest.
The city received a grant for $100,000 to purchase body cameras and is also upgrading police vehicle cameras. Mayor Chris Rosenquest, a Democrat, noted that the project to deploy police body cameras is intertwined with the other security enhancements.
“One thing to note is that the body camera project is incorporated not just the body worn cameras but the motor vehicle recording devices integrated into the body cameras as well as license place readers that are all packaged into the same project,” Rosenquest explained. “So the cost associated to all of these are all three of those projects together.”
Ward 3 Democrat Elizabeth Gibbs asked for more detailed overdose reporting from the police department. That led to a conversation with Department of Public Works Superintendent Michael Bessette about the availability of needle collection containers across the city.
"I know there is some pushback,” reported Bessette. “The one at the beach gets negative feedback about location. That is the downside about the needle boxes. They are very good but people don’t like the look of them in certain locations. We’re kind of strategic about what we do with them and we find a tremendous amount of sharps downtown.”
“And there are no collections,” started Gibbs.
“A lot in garbage cans,” added Bessette.
“Ooh. So I would like to continue the discussion about maybe increasing where we’re putting those sharps containers,” Gibbs said.
An item on the regular agenda asked for approval for a local business to create geo fences in city parks during special events. Ward 5 Democrat David Monette was among the councilors who asked for clarification from Courtney Meisenheimer.
“Geofencing, never heard of it,” commented Monette.
“It’s a geographical location created through WiFi, RFID, a couple different services so that when someone enters into that designated location and pulls up an app on their phone they’re provided with some type of offer or it triggers some type of action,” explained Meisenheimer. “You have to have downloaded the app, agreed to the terms, know that this is a thing that you can do.”
“And it’s only that one business?” asked Monette.
“Yes,” replied Meisenheimer. “It’s a two-way benefit in that they’re promoting their product but they’re also promoting people to show up at our parades or different events.”
Councilors unanimously approved the measure.
An item on the agenda called on the council to approve a memorandum of understanding between the city and the fire department union to contract for a staffing analysis. Councilor Gibbs said she would vote yes, with reservations.
“I don’t like the way that this was done,” Gibbs said. “It should have been sent to an RFP. I want to make sure that this is going to take a look at current staffing in our budget, determine do we have the appropriate number of staffing for the tasks of the fire department, looking at locations of stations and response times. I feel like that clearly outlined process as part of the scope of work was missing from this. But I’m going to take a leap of faith it’ll do what you’re intending. But it is long overdue. I’ve supported this for a long, long time. But I don’t like the way that this was done.”
The resolution was approved unanimously.
