Riverside looks for alternative to panic buttons

RIVERSIDE ? The Riverside City Council took a new direction in its effort to improve employee safety. The council unanimously approved a motion to program the phones at city hall to dial 9-1-1 by pressing a single button. At its May 7 meeting, the council approved installing panic buttons in city hall.

Councilor Bob Schneider Jr., who was present at the meeting via teleconference, suggested programming the phones to dial 9-1-1 with one button. Mayor Bill Poch said he spoke with Washington County Communications Supervisor Cara Sorrells about how panic buttons work.

Sorrells said in an interview Tuesday morning that panic buttons are not directly linked to the communications center but rather go to a third party vendor, which then contacts the communications center to inform it of the alarm. Sorrells said the courtroom in the Washington County Courthouse has panic buttons which are linked directly to the communications center because of its proximity.

Poch said he didn?t understand why the city needed to purchase additional security service when it already has 9-1-1.

The council unanimously approved a motion that allows residents to get rid of tires during the citywide cleanup June 16. The city will pay for the first 100 tires on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of four tires per household. City Clerk Missy Carter said someone is willing to pick up rimmed tires for free. Schneider said it is a good idea to remove tires from the city since they attract mosquitoes.   

Paula Walton of rural Riverside said she would be happy to pay the city to get rid of the old tire she has.

?I think most people who have a tire or two would be amenable to paying a small fee to get rid of things like that,? she said.

Riverside resident Anita Burnett asked the council for the purpose of cleanup day.

?If the idea is to get the junk out of town, why limit it?? she asked. ?If someone has 25 tires, which is highly unlikely, we should get it out of town.?

Public works employee Ron Hembrey spoke to the council about the well shutoff that occurred last week and which prompted the city to call for water conservation. The city asked residents to conserve water May 16 because a pipe that connected the well to the water plant was being replaced, meaning the city would rely on its stored water until the pipe was attached. Hembrey said replacing the pipe was a routine matter.

The council agreed to pay for sidewalks that are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The city will pay for an ADA pad, which is required wherever a sidewalk exits onto a street or parking, and five feet of sidewalk per ADA pad.

There was some discussion at Monday?s meeting as to whether Schneider was technically ?present? at the meeting and if he could vote on the resolutions. City Attorney Les Lamping reviewed the relevant code and concluded that Schneider could vote just as any other member.

The council would have still had a quorum even without Schneider since there were three other members present in Ralph Schnoebelen, Christine Kirkwood and Kevin Kiene. Nate Kasdorf was absent.

Carolyn Hudson spoke during citizens? time about how the councilors should not take disagreements personally. She said there was anger in the community and that it was wrongly directed at the city employees. She encouraged members of the audience to pray for the council.

The council approved the first reading of an ordinance to give Mid-American Energy Company a franchise in the city.

The council approved the Washington County Sheriff?s Law Enforcement Contract for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.