Approved Minutes from our meeting in August. Minutes will be posted for the September meeting soon... Franklin County Traffic Safety Board Meeting Minutes August 28, 2013 Today’s meeting was brought to order by Chairman Kevin Mulverhill at 10:07 a.m. In Attendance were as follows: J. Brian McKee, TSB Executive Secretary; Kevin Mulverhill, Franklin County Sheriff/TSB Chairman; Dave Werner, TSB Vice-Chairman; Dean Fountain, TSB Consultant; Dick Bolster, Fire Police; Lindy Ellis, guest/board member; Mary Goodman, Franklin County Transportation; Brian Goetz, NYSP; Kip Cassavaw, County Clerk’s Office; Gary Friedrich, NYSDEC; Cathy Decosse, Department of Motor Vehicles; Dominic Barse, Malone Central School District/Guest Presenter; Sue Ellen Tupia, County Court; Robert Haynes, NYSDOT; Thomas Russell, Franklin County Highway Association; Tim LaShomb, Franklin County Legislator; Ricky Provost, Emergency Services/911; and Amy Landry, Administrative Assistant. I. Introduction of Guests & Presentation – A brief introduction of Dominic Barse was offered by Chairman Kevin Mulverhill, explaining Dominic had offered to come and present on the topic of School Bus Safety. Everyone went around the room and introduced themselves. Skipping ahead, Chairman Mulverhill then introduced Amy Landry briefly, as the candidate for the Administrative Assistant position that would be voted on later into the meeting. The meeting was then turned over to Dominic Barse. Dominic reported that approximately 50,000 cars in New York State pass school buses illegally daily. National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP) has been pushing surveys. On the local level, surveys were also completed across the North Country Schools, specifically Franklin and St. Lawrence Central Districts. “Operation Safe Stop” has also been orchestrated with the Assistance of Sheriff Mulverhill and Dean Fountain. It has focused on the Malone Village, Brainardsville Road and various state highways. Dominic then presented video captured by bus cameras of “drive-thru” situations from our local area. The first video showed a Heavy Equipment truck driving past a stopped school bus and only seconds later, a child is seen crossing the road. The driver had held the student and signaled when it was safe to cross the highway. The second video showed a motor vehicle again driving past a stopped school bus without regard to the stopped bus and its flashing lights, Two freeze frame shots were shown, one representing a blurred view of a vehicle with its license plate partially indecipherable and a second that was clear revealing the vehicle occupant and plate number. Dean Fountain then reported 4 tickets had been issued for these offenses but 3 were later reduced to lesser offenses such as Disobeying a Traffic Control Device and 1 was still pending. J. Brian McKee questioned whether a presentation by Dominic Barse and Dean Fountain to the Magistrate would be helpful. Both agreed they would be willing to present. Brian then asked if Drivers are willing to give depositions when these offenses happen. Dominic Barse explained that along with giving their deposition to police that there is also a form at the Bus Garage that the drivers are required to fill out. Dean Fountain stated that he saw Dominic Barse on Monday and had set the date for the next Operation Safe Stop for September 9, 2013. David Werner questioned how a driver could tell if their flashing lights were red. Dominic Barse explained that there is a monitoring system on the bus and while everything does have mechanical failure, drivers simply hit the lights button to start the flashing of yellow lights and as soon as the door opens, the lights turn to red until the door is closed. Dave Werner then asked how they would prove that they passed after the lights were on. Dominic Barse explained that it would then depend on the testimony of the driver and the camera system. Dave Werner then questioned Dean Fountain about the charges being reduced and who has the authority to make these reductions for the tickets issued. Dean Fountain explained that the District Attorney’s office handles all the reductions. A motion was made by J. Brian McKee and seconded by Dean Fountain that Derek Champagne be invited to the presentation for the Magistrate. Dominic Barse suggested making the ticket issuable to the registered owner of the vehicle if they are unwilling to provide the driver’s information to proceed with charging that individual. Dave Werner mentioned how there are no points issued for these offenses and Kevin Mulverhill stated that laws may need to be changed and suggested Janet Duprey be invited to attend and gain her support for a legislation change. Brian Goetz, NYSP, stated that he would support legislation change but that notification needed to reach the public to gain the necessary support. Sue Tupia provided an example how she had stopped for an approaching bus with its yellow lights flashing but that it passed her and stopped further up. Dominic Barse explained that drivers are instructed to turn their lights on approximately 300 feet before their stop but more distance is given on state highways due to increased speed limits. Yellow lights are turned on to signal drivers that the bus is preparing to stop and it is the motor vehicle operator responsibility to make the correct judgment call if it is a safe distance to apply brakes. Kevin Mulverhill offered a story from his time as a Malone Village policeman about how he had to issue a ticket to the Catholic Priest in Chateaugay for passing a school bus unsafely. Dominic Barse explained how it’s not just about issuing tickets, it’s about the children. He continued that if a bus driver is able to obtain a plate number, vehicle description, date and time, a notice can be sent to DMV and they send the registered owner a letter notifying them of the offense. II. Approval of June 26, 2013 Meeting Minutes – J. Brian McKee made motion to accept the June 26, 2013 Meeting Minutes. Lindy Ellis second the motion without opposition. III. Old Business- 1. Traffic Board Secretary Position J. Brian McKee made motion to accept Amy Landry as the new Administrative Assistant for the Franklin County Traffic Safety Board. Sue Tupia second the motion without opposition. Amy Landry was welcomed aboard. 2. Operation Safe Stop Dean Fountain notified the Board that the next Operation Safe Stop is scheduled for Malone on September 9, 2013 during both the morning and afternoon bus runs. There will be another Operation Safe Stop held in Tupper Lake on September 12, 2013 for the morning bus run since they have reported more offenses during that time frame. 3. Ignition Interlock Update Denise McClain, Probation Director and Mike Fleury were unable to attend today’s meeting. The topic was tabled until the next meeting. 4. Complete Streets Dave Werner announced that there were no new updates. Dave did mention that the lines on Elm Street and the intersection of Elm Street and Raymond Street needs to be repainted so drivers are more aware that there is only one lane where there used to be two. 5. Amish Dean Fountain announced he has been working with St. Lawrence County and they have provided a pamphlet that is being utilized by the Amish communities to learn how to make their travel safer. The pamphlet was handed out to attendees of the FCTSB. 6. Web Site Amy Landry stated she would speak to Rob Green in the near future to figure out just the “hits” for the FCTSB webpage. Amy also announced she would be updating the website in the coming weeks so all past “Minutes” and “Did You Know” articles are posted for viewing. 7. Truck Inspection Site J. Brian McKee addressed the topic of the proposed Truck Inspection site that is to be situated by the airport in close proximity of the State Trooper barracks in Malone. This would allow large trucks to pull off the roadway and onto this site for their inspection. It would allow traffic to run smoother and safer without the danger of a truck and police vehicle parked on the edge of the roadway. Brian had heard that the FAA wouldn’t approve this location. J. Brian McKee requested Amy Landry draft a follow-up letter to Howard Maneely regarding this project and its status. 8. Bicycle Safety / Enforcement Lindy Ellis provided us with a handout containing an article by 28-year veteran, Officer Kirby Beck concerning Bicycle Law Enforcement. It covered common perceptions such as people’s belief that riding on the far right edge is the safest but in actuality it is considerably safer to ride farther left, decreasing the chances for sideswipes. Intersections hold the highest fatality rate for bicyclists and it has been shown that the further a bicyclist is into traffic, the safer they are. Drivers need to focus on changing these perceptions, increasing their good behaviors and decreasing their bad habits. Lindy stated that bicyclists need to be held to the same level of responsibility and tickets should be issued to bicyclists if they are not following the rules of the road as well as motorists. Common laws that need to be enforced for bicyclists include riding against traffic, failure to yield right of way at stop or yield signs, running red lights and riding at night without lights. Motorist’s biggest errors when driving in traffic with bicyclists are failure to yield right of way, unsafe passing, harassment or assault, inattentive or impaired driving. J. Brian McKee added that bicyclist share the same safety concerns as the Amish. Dave Werner stated that bicyclists who aren’t following the laws of the roadway should be stopped and corrected on the laws. IV. New Business 1. Committee Reports i. Off Road Initiative Brian Goetz announced Ranger Russell has been working closely with this program and has been providing ATV patrols. He has noticed that people are accessing private roads on the Wolf Pond Road that they shouldn’t be accessing. He provided an example of an intoxicated driver accessing the Piney Ridge Road to get to the Standish Road. That intoxicated driver was stopped, had children in the vehicle, and because they were on a “private” road, the DWI ticket issued had to be dropped. He stated there needs to be a “push” for Albany to change legislation concerning the enforcement of the law on private roads such as these. Brian closed by stating that the snowmobiles are getting “tuned up” for the coming season. Dave Werner added that we should be following announced activities such as “poker runs” and other special events held where driving while intoxicated is a major issue. ii. Programs & PSA Dave Werner announced that there are a couple sessions in the near future. First one is a 1 ½ hour session in Lake Placid in October. The second session is November 13, 2013 at 911 Building, Bare Hill Road, Malone, NY that will cover Work Zone Protection for small municipalities. iii. Victim Impact Panel Mary Goodman reported that the next Victim Impact Panel is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 6:30 located at the Emergency Services/911 Building on Bare Hill Road, Malone. There are 4 speakers’ lines up to present, Mary Ann Dunlavey, Gilbert Jacobs, Kevin Higgins, Tanya Meake. The number of attendees was unknown at the time. iv. Events Dean Fountain informed the FCTSB that he was present down at the Franklin County Fair on Saturday, August 10, 2013 for 4-5 hours. Dean was set up at Walmart on August 3, 2013 with the aid of the New York State Police performing Child Safety Seat checks. He gave out 10 new car seats that day. He added that the Walmart Manager came out and urged him to apply for a $2,500 grant through Walmart. This grant would provide aid for educational materials. Dean has not received a response as of yet. Another car seat check was organized on August 17, 2013 and 10 car seats were inspected and 6 new car seats were given out. Dean announced upcoming events beginning with September 9, 2013, Operation Safe Stop. On September 11, 2013, there will be a child seat safety check at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. On September 12, there will be an Operation Safe Stop set up in the Tupper Lake area. On September 14, 2013, Dean will be in attendance at the Harvest Fest at the Fairgrounds in Malone to check child safety seats and he announced there will be a “Dog Presentation” by a canine officer. On September 20, 2013, Dean will be on cell phone detail, to crack down on the use of cell phones in traffic. Dean noted that the supply of child safety seats is greatly depleted but we should be fine until the next fiscal year beginning October 1, 2013. Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill took a minute to recognize Dean Fountain for all his hard work, team work and for being the “face” of the FCTSB in the community. v. Guests, Media, Legislation Kevin Mulverhill announced Janet Duprey attended the Franklin County Fair this year. It was noted that Ms. Duprey has not attended one of the FCTSB meetings in a couple years and that it may be time to get her invited and involved again. It was also mentioned possibly having an additional meeting at the end of the FCTSB meeting to further discuss the Operation Safe Stop Initiative and the problems we are facing here. The dates were set for the next three meetings: September 25, 2013, October 23, 2013 & November 20, 2013. It was noted that the FCTSB does not usually meet in December. 2. Other There are no “Other” topics to be discussed. 3. Speed Trailer Dean Fountain announced that the Drug Task Force has purchased 2-3 speed trailers that are equipped with a license plate reader and a visible speed screen to notify drivers of their current speed. They have graciously agreed to allow us to use one of these speed trailers. Bill Ritchie will train Dean Fountain on the equipment and will assist Dean with deciding what the message broadcast to the drivers will be. Dean added that there is a slight delay due to the speed trailers coming equipped with AT&T modems that need to be switched to Verizon. Dean mentioned how the FCTSB had bought a speed trailer years ago that didn’t work for long, how it was sent to Albany and then we were told it couldn’t be fixed. J. Brian McKee added that there have been several complaints in the Whipplevile area and announced how a trooper sat up there and issued 7 speeding tickets in a 2-hour period. V. Stop DWI Report There was no report today due to Mike Fleury’s absence. Kevin Mulverhill announced that there is a statewide campaign focused on Distracted Drivers to reduce the number of DWI, speeding, texting while driving occurrences. State Police have announced that in 1 ½ months they have recorded 14,000 cell phone violations. The campaign appears more productive now that there is an increased point penalty for this violation. Kevin added that in Malone Troop B alone, there was 909 cell phone, and 300 texting violations during that same period. VI. Traffic Safety Report – Financial Report Dean Fountain notified the FCTSB that a transfer needed to be made from Consultants to Travel to cover the last of the fiscal year travel. He reported that the other line items were “pulling down” at an appropriate rate. Dave Werner notified the FCTSB of a complaint on Hillsdale Terrace concerning heavy equipment trucks transporting stone and gravel from the Titus Mountain area. The County, Town and Village got together to alleviate the problem. “No commercial trucks” signs were posted on Hillsdale Terrace. The truck drivers obeyed and began utilizing the Low Road. Question is, how long before these residents get upset about the same issue. It is apparent that these trucks need to do their job and it’s silly to be rerouting them simply because someone has a problem with them being on the street. Now Webster Street and Woodward Street residents are following suit and having the same complaints and causing worse problems. Dave closed by saying that nobody likes the big trucks on their streets but they have to transport their cargo. Dean Fountain announced that Albany had called and the unofficial approved budget for 2013-2014 is $29,600. The budget for 2012-2013 was $27,500. VII. Round Table Dave Werner has been in contact with Chateaugay residents and it has been suggested that the speed zone be extended past Alix’s Hardware Store. He announced that a Family Dollar store is presently under construction across from Alix’s. Dave added that there are plans for a Maplefield’s store to be erected on the corner of Route 11 across from the Veterinary Clinic. He stated that the DOT will need to review and entertain the thought of this speed zone extension. Brian Goetz- The center line rumble strips have had a positive review with very few complaints. Tim LaShomb proposed that the Elm Street traffic light on the corner of Main Street be changed to allow traffic to turn right on red. Brian Goetz suggested sending letter to DOT requesting the consideration of this traffic light change. Brian Goetz announced that there are new driver licenses coming out and they are almost impossible to counterfeit. Under 21 drivers will have a very distinct license that is portrait orientated rather than landscape orientated. He also added that licenses can now be suspended if the driver’s New York State income tax is not paid. Dave Werner announced that there is a State Conference on October 20-22, 2103. Dean Fountain announced that the Amish in the Burke area are very compliant utilizing full lights on their buggies. VIII. Next Meeting The next meeting of the Franklin County Traffic Safety Board will take place on Wednesday, September 25, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Emergency Services/911 Building in Malone. IX. Adjourn Meeting Motion made to adjourn by J. Brian McKee; second by Kip Cassavaw. Today’s meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 13:27:19 +0000
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