Public Safety Committee Meeting

084-06. Councillor Dean A. Tran, to include one sheet with the following information:
name, age, sex, race and address of all Level 2 and 3 sex offenders sorted by address with water and sewer municipal bills (residing in Fitchburg only).

More Feel Good Legislation from councilor Tran. The bottom line is that there are costs associated with the petition and no real value to justify that cost. As I understand it the petition has been reduced to providing information on how to get information on level 2 and level 3 sex offenders and amended to send it off to the school department for consideration of distributing the information through the schools.

282-06. Councillor Jody Joseph, to place a crosswalk on Harvard St. on the corner of Harvard and Fulton St.

This petition was previously given leave to withdraw (back in June) but the full council sent it back to committee. The police department still opposes this on the grounds that would require a traffic study. Some councilors don't want to let this one go and it brought about some interesting and sometimes (lame) comment/discussion. There was concern that vehicles coming across the bridge are going too fast. Officer Hass pointed out that the area is thickly settled making it a 30 MPH zone and that setting a speed limit there would require a traffic study which could result in a posted limit higher than 30 MPH if the 85th percentile speed is higher. Councilor Hay (not a member of this committee) wanted to know why we adjust the speed when most of the drivers break the law. Councilor Dimartino claims there is already a crosswalk at Harvard and Fulton - Hmmm, there isn't one painted there and there no list of location where crosswalks are approved in the city code. Councilor Boisvert suggested that cautionary sign be installed. Councilor Hay indicated that cautionary signs may be installed at the discretion of the Chief of Police. IIRC The petition was amended to request that the police look into cautionary signage.

To answer councilor Hay's question about rewarding drivers that break the law. Throughout the world it is acknowedged that the vast majority of drivers are NOT hell bent on killing themselves and that they drive at speeds that are reasonable and proper. The Feds use the 85 percentile, because it makes sense. The State uses the 85th percentile and thankfully limits who can set speed limits. In Fitchburg only MassHwy (with agreement of the Registry of Motor Vehicles) can set a speed limit. That prevents speed limits from becoming a political football that can be used to buy constituent votes and or create new revenue streams.

Councilor Hay (and others like him) are looking at this question backwards. If the 85th percentile his high enough to result in a higher posted speed limit it doesn't mean that these drivers are speeding, it means that the speed limit is too low

119-07. Councillor Stephan Hay and Mr. Steve Bert, to place stop signs on Pearl St. at the intersection of Klondike Ave.
This would create a multiway stop (a 3 way stop at a T intersection). The warrants for a multiway stop are pretty high and it's unlikely that any of the warrants would be met (at least one of which must be met before installing a multiway stop). One of the warrants is 5 collisions a year at that location. Officer Hess indicated that there have been only 4 collisions at this intersection since 1990. That's less than one every 4 years. Police spoke with the residents in that area and the petition was brought as an attempt to slow traffic on Pearl St. It is claimed that traffic is traveling at 45 MPH here (not likely). The petition was held in committee. It really should have been given leave to withdraw.

021-07. Councillor Norman Boisvert, to ban dogs and exotic pets from public functions in Fitchburg where 50 or more people gather for the purpose of any social event and Institute penalties for violations.
Amended: Service dogs exluded.
As you may note from the number of the petition, this one's been around for a while. It doesn't seem to have broad support and the arguments Boisvert makes for passage aren't very convincing. This petition seem too restrictive and without good reason. The committee sent it to legislative affairs. The new council and new leglistative affairs committee may view it more favorably although I hope they just vote it down.