Columbus, Georgia

Minutes for the Meeting of the

Public Safety Advisory Commission

April 7, 2005



Present members of Advisory Commission: Charles Kurtz, C.A. Hardmon, James

Wilson, Harold Bryant, Archie Rainey (Chairman), Greg Camp



Absent members: Robert Turner, Robert Loving, Allen McMullen, Keyla Cabret,

Cheryl Gallatin



Recording Secretary: Mrs. Debbie Gassaway, Administrative Specialist II



Location: Community Room of the Public Safety Building



Meeting began at 4:01 p.m.





Old Business



Discussion of next weeks first Public Open Forum



Suggestions on how the Public Open Forum should be conducted



Tell the public what the Mission, Duties & Responsibilities of the committee

are



What the committee is charged to do, by the ordinance.



This would be a good way to start the forum. (In other words, they're looking

at service not police complaints.)



Looking at Public Safety Service from the entire Public Safety Community, Fire

Department, EMS, Police Department, Marshal's Office, Sheriffs Department, the

whole issue.



What the group is looking is: Service, and basically communications



Asking the public, are you getting the service you think they need?



? What type of service?



? What level of service they are getting?



? When they call, are they able to talk to someone about the things you want to

talk to them about?



This will be pronounced in the Opening Statement of the meeting. Agreed by the

committee. This will be used as a format.



The committee is looking for the public's input, and not complaints.



Discussion of how this information will be put together and to be presented to

the Council, and to the Public Safety's Agencies within our community. The

committee will make it available to them. Show the community what the

committee finds, the concerns, some of the accolades that the community has

bestowed upon Public Safety.

Discussion of the dissemination of this information.



Advise the Public that the committee meets the first Thursday of each month, at

the Public Safety Building.



The committee will assimilate the information and pass it on.



Archie Rainey tells the committee that in the ordinance:



Enhanced Communication



Understanding Trust between Public Safety Personnel & Citizens of Columbus



That was specified in the Ordinance.



Committee member ask the committee if anyone discussed the meetings with their

Councilman. This turned into a lengthy discussion of who talked to whom, if

they are notified.



A lengthy discussion concerning the City Council by all members of the

committee.



The discussion went back to the Public Open Forum.



Again, suggestions of what they should do if the Public should ask questions

and how they should be answered by the Committee.



Some Ground rules set by the Committee:



? The Committee is there to listen,



? We are going to take notes so the committee can pass this information on.



? Everyone will act in an appropriate manner



? No profanity, or things in this nature



Committee member asks, what has been done to notify the Public of the meeting.



Archie Rainey states flyers have gone out. 2000 Flyers were made. Flyers

state the date of all three meetings on one flyer. They were divided, by

South, Middle, and North.



C. A. Harmon states he has passed the flyers on. He also notified different

radio stations, agencies, businesses, and newspapers.



Discussion of when the meetings will be held



April 14, 2005 -Baker Middle School

April 21, 2005 -Wynnton School

April 28, 2005 -Double Churches Middle School



A clarification of what was discussed so far:



Open the meeting with an evening greeting and thank everyone for coming,

appreciate participation, etc, etc.



Tell the public the committee is there to collect information. They want

information from the community. We are going to have the answers to your

questions, but we are here to help pose the questions for which we will turn

over to the Council, the press, the Public Safety Agencies, once they complete

all of this.



Tell the dates of when the Committee meets, on Thursday of every month, at the

Public Safety Meeting Room, in the Community Room



Tell the person when they stand and speak, please identify themselves



Tell them the areas of discussion should be for the Public Safety, Fire

Department, Police Department, Marshal's Office, the Sheriffs Department, and

EMS.



Then the person will get the floor to speak



Archie Rainey asks the Committee on the 21st they have a 4:00 o'clock meeting

and a 6:00 o'clock meeting.



The chair would like to entertain the motion from someone, that we cancel the

4:00 o'clock meeting.



Greg Camp makes the motion that they cancel the 4:00 o'clock. It has been

seconded.



One member suggests they meet at 5:30 on the 21st of April. This is suggested

in case of any other ideas that need to be discussed.



Everybody agrees that they will meet at 5:30 on the 21st of April.



Greg Camp changes his motion to that different type.



All say in favor.



The meeting for the 4:00 meeting has been canceled and they will meet at 5:30

at Wynnton School on April 21st.



Archie Rainey asks committee if there is any other business as it relates to

the agenda.



New Business



Greg Camp discusses the meeting that was held concerning the Overlook

Neighborhood Association.



Discussed:



The concerns of the break-ins, robberies in the area.



What the police were doing in the neighborhood



Recommended:



Police recommended that the citizens should get to know the people in the

neighborhood.



Major Graham was at the meeting and he talked to the citizens of how, and what

they can do in the neighborhood.



A lengthy discussion by the committee members on this meeting took place.



A lengthy discussion by the committee on the shortage of Public Safety

Personnel.



A committee member talks about a robbery that had taken place at his church,

and how the police took care of the situation.



A lengthy discussion of how the Police Department is handling the shortage of

police officers, and their duties.



Archie Rainey states it is 5 p.m., asks the committee if there is anything else

they would like to add to the meeting.



Several committee members talk about different items.



A motion is made to adjourn the meeting at 5:00 p.m., a second motion is made,

and the meeting adjourned.