MINUTES

COMMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

 

February 25, 2002

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:           B. Ryan (Chair), D. Hall, M. Kaplowitz, R. Wishnie.

 

BOARD STAFF:                     R. Vega, Program Specialist

                                                  S. Vanderberg, Secretary

 

OTHERS:                                 Al Mignone, Chief, Purchase FD

                                                  Steve Surace, WC Fire Council

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 2:13 p.m.

 

Proposed Resolution - Independent, Non-Governmental Review of the Indian Point “Evacuation Plan”

 

Mr. Ryan placed the proposed Resolution directly on the Committee’s agenda.  (It has been filed with the Clerk and will appear on the Board’s March 11 regular meeting calendar.)  The Resolution calls for an independent, non-governmental review of the Indian Point Radiological Emergency Preparedness Plan.  The review could help the County accurately gauge the Plan’s ability to fulfill the purposes for which it was designed and determine how the plan needs to be improved to better protect the health and safety of the public.

 

The Resolution calls for the County to immediately begin the preparation of the requisite request for proposals to solicit bids for an independent review.  The RFP’s would be issued and evaluated and the results of the bids would be reported to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice for deliberation.  Committee findings and any recommendation would then be made to the full Board a final

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determination with respect to the commission of an independent review.

 

A public hearing will be set to gather comment on the proposed review.

 

“special operations task force”

 

Fire Chief Al Mignone and Westchester County Fire Council member Steve Surace provided the Committee with a copy of a proposal entitled “Westchester County Special Operations Task Force.”  They said the Career Chiefs gave it to them, but they (Mignone and Surace) were unclear as to who actually developed it.  There apparently is talk among volunteer firefighters that it is a County Department of Emergency Services proposal.

 

Mr. Wishnie stated that volunteers in central Westchester in departments such as Briarcliff Manor and Thornwood have a proposal for a specialized emergency team.  Chief Mignone said these are two different proposals.  Mignone and Surace are familiar with the volunteers’ proposal and support it.

 

Mr. Ryan said the subject would be put on the Committee agenda for full discussion some time in the near future.

 

 

Fire inspections in County buildings and facilities

 

A recent news article and editorial in the Journal News focused on the problem of fire inspection.

 

Mr. Surace said he is doing inspections for the Town of Harrison at the WestchesterCountyAirport, specifically on new construction.

 

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Mr. Surace expressed concern with the delayed initiation of the fire inspection program at the Airport.  With respect to County buildings generally, he suggested that inspections be conducted by the municipality where the property is located.  He said the County should hire an inspector to perform these duties.

 

Mr. Surace said the County’s new CAD (computer aided dispatch) system is working great.

 

Mr. Ryan said that Commissioner Kelly would likely return to the Board with a request for additional staff that could cover the fire inspection function. 

 

Mr. Wishnie, Chair of the Budget and Appropriation Committee, presented for the Committee’s review the Bond Act reported by B&A at its meeting earlier today authorizing the issuance of $1,100,000 for security measure in the Michaelian Office Building and parking garage.

 

Mr. Ryan said the Bond Act would be the subject of a discussion he and several other legislators would have with the County’s new security director, Chris Kozlow, immediately following this Committee meeting.

 

With no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned, 2:34 p.m.