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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 2012-08-20 - Special Meeting101 City Council, Special Meeting Civic Center Council Chambers 777 Cypress Avenue Redding, California August 20, 2012 5:15 p.m. I The meeting was called to order at 5 :26 p.m. by Mayor Dick Dickerson with the following Council Members present: Rick Bosetti, Patrick Jones, Missy McArthur, Francie Sullivan. Also present were City Manager Kurt Starman, City Attorney Rick Duvernay, Deputy City Manager Greg Clark, Police Chief Robert Paoletti, City Clerk Pamela Mize, and Executive Assistant Sharlene Tipton. ---------------------- Assembly Bill (AB) 109 - Discussion re: Public Safety Issues and Impact on the Community [P-150-150] City Manager Starman provided background information and introduced the following individuals that were invited to present their agency's perspective relative to its involvement in the AB 1 09 Prison Realignment efforts: Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti; Ed Rullman, Merchants Crime Watch; Shasta County Chief Probation Officer Wesley Forman; and Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko. I Police Chief Paoletti presented a PowerPoint presentation, incorporated herein by reference, highlighting the direct and indirect impact of AB 1 09 on crime within the City of Redding. He explained that the necessary components to deterring the criminal lifestyle is to provide employment stability, safe housing, and educational training. He noted that in order to utilize the programs being planned to combat recidivism, the criminal must be convicted. If the person is not incarcerated and fails to appear for court, they are not part of the rehabilitation process. Ed Rullman, Hilltop business owner, provided background relative to his involvement in the formation of the Redding Merchants Crime Watch. He explained that as a business owner for over 35 years along Hilltop Drive; he is protective of the corridor and did not want visitors coming to Redding and thinking that it is not a safe community. He noted that the Redding Merchant Crime Watch is open to anybody in the Redding community interested in sharing or keeping up on information relative to property crimes in the community, and encouraged those interested to send him an email ated@crgibb.com. to be added to the distribution list. Wesley Forman, Shasta County Chief Probation Officer, presented a PowerPoint presentation, incorporated herein by reference, highlighting the first nine-months of the implementation of the AB 1 09 Prison Realignment legislation. He explained that due to the state budget needs and court mandates, inmates from prisons released on parole began reporting to county probation officers rather than state parole agents. The new local authority over "post-release community supervision" applies only to those whose convictions were for non-serious, nonviolent, non-sex-related offenses. At the same time, newly convicted "non- non-non" offenders were remitted to county custody to jail, or to community programs or other sentencing alternatives instead of being sent to state prison. I Mr. Forman explained that the Shasta County Probation Department is tasked with providing supervision to a large influx of the Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS) population. He noted that the key aspect for the plan to be successful is to find what criminogenic issues are contributing to the person's criminal behavior, and in turn, procuring the necessary rehabilitation program(s) to combat those issues. In response to Council Member Jones, Mr. Forman explained that $3 million was allocated in the budget for this year, with another $6 million allocated in the next fiscal year and that the funding is the total for the entire program, the hiring of staff, contracts with the other counties for jail bed space, etc. 08/20/2012 102 In response to the Redding City Council, Mr. Forman and Chief Paoletti noted that ongoing funding is not included in the state's Constitution, therefore, future funding is not guaranteed. However, the Governor's office has stated that i.t is committed to the success ofthe AB109 Realignment Plan and its continued funding. Tom Bosenko, Shasta County Sheriff, provided a PowerPoint presentation, incorporated herein by reference, summarizing the efforts to~date and statistics relative to the implementation of AB 1 09 legislation. He stated that they are doing the best they can with the resources they have. The state has locked people up for years in prison, however, it didn't work because the rehabilitation component was left out. He noted the need for a new jail, however, due to ongoing funding issues, that may not be possible. In the meantime, Sheriff Bosenko stated that there are two contracts for jail bed space in effect in EI Dorado and Lassen counties, with another contract in the works with the County of Alameda. I In response to Council Member McArthur, SheriffBosenko stated that current laws prevent County Sheriffs to contract with privately-owned jails, and further stated that "tent-city" type jails are not permitted in California. Gail Rich expressed the need for consequences and penalties to be invoked for criminals. Steve Courtney expressed frustration relative to the long-term housing of jail inmates and low-level offenders being released back to local communities. In response to Council Member Jones, Mr. Starman explained that pursuant to Proposition 172, the Local Public Safety Protection and Improvement Act of 1993, for every dollar spent in the' county, the city and the county get the same proportionate amount of sales tax allocated to each, with the hierarchy of who pays for what being established long ago. He also pointed out that the Governor and state legislators believe that AB 109 is a success, however, on the local levels, it is a failure. He noted the need for the community to communicate with Sacramento sharing that it is not a success story in our local area. Council Member McArthur strongly urged Mr. Bosenko and Mr. Forman to speed up the process as the community is quite concerned about this increase in crime. I Mayor Dickerson opined that due to the complexities and difficulties involved, the entire process will continue to be slow-going, however, the work will be done and progress has already been made. No action is necessary for this informational item. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Mayor Dickerson declared the meeting adjourned at the hour of8:00 p.m. APPROVED: {JU (~ Dick Dickerson, Mayor I ATTEST: ~~~ Pamela Mize, CIty CI k 08/20/2012