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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2013.05.14 - 36719BILL DWYER Chairperson MIKE BOSNIC Vice Chairperson HELAINE ZACK Minority Vice Chairperson May 14, 2013 Chairperson Dwyer called the meeting of the Public Services Committee to order at 11:3 0 a.m., in Committee Room A, Commissioners’ Wing, County Service Center, Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Bill Dwyer, Helaine Zack, Gary McGillivray , Mike Bosnic, Michael Spisz COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT WITH NOTICE: Shelley Taub OTHERS PRESENT : SHERIFF’S OFFICE Michael McCabe, Undersheriff Dale Cunningham, Business Manager Kent Gardner, Lab Supervisor VETERANS’ AFFAIRS Garth Wootten, Manager PROSECUTING ATTORNEY Emily McIntyre, Victim Rights Supervisor ATTORNEY Ryan Berman BALDWIN LIBRARY Sheila Brice, Library Trustee DETROIT FREE PRESS Bill Laitner, Reporter DETROIT NEWS Lauren Razzaq, Reporter OTHERS Roy Salisbury Don Eichstaedt Mary Majcher Joe Majcher BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS John Scott, Commissioner Marcia Gershenson, Commissioner Chris Ward , Analyst Jim VerPloeg, Administrative Director Tracy Stolzenfeld, Committee Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Bosnic moved approval of the minutes of April 23, 2013, as printed. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried on a voice vote. OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0470 Telephone (248) 858-0100 FAX (248) 858 -1572 PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Shelley Taub Michael Spisz Gary McGillivray PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 2 May 14, 2013 PUBLIC COMMENT Roy Salisbury, citizen and resident of Rochester, made a brief statement regarding Second Amendment rights. AGENDA ITEMS 1. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – FISCAL YEAR 2013 SECONDARY ROAD PATROL AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROGRAM GRANT AMENDMENT The Sheriff’s Office is seeking approval of revisions made to the Secondary Ro ad Patrol and Traffic Accident Prevention Program grant. This amendment allows the addition of funds and addition of a full-time eligible Deputy position that was eliminated last January. Spisz moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Taub absent. 2. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – ADDITION OF TWO POSITIONS IN THE FORENSIC LABORATORY REIMBURSED BY HIDTA The Sheriff’s Office is seeking authorization to add two positions in the forensic laboratory. These positions will be funded by HIDTA, Michigan High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, federal task force. This entity partners with the federal government to reduce drug trafficking and targets drug - trafficking organizations. The positions are part time non -eligible 1,000 hour Forensic Laboratory Technicians in the Sheriff’s Office, Forensic Services Unit. The additional techs will allow a partnership to form and may be able to assist the City of Detroit with case backlog. Bosnic moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Taub absent. 3. VETERANS’ AFFAIRS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH MICHIGAN’S DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS FOR USE OF LICENSED VETRASPEC WEB -BASED BENEFITS INFORMATION SYSTEM The Department of Veterans Affairs seeks authorization to utilize the licensed VetraSpec software. The Michigan Department of Veterans’ Services will provide the use of VetraSpec to the county, which is a secure online veterans’ claims management software system. The current system in place is Vetrex. This current system is not well -supported and not Internet based. Should the funding not be available to continue this agreement, the software license would be available and the data entered previously would be preserved. The VetraSpec is Internet based, which would make field visits with a laptop and printer attached possible to service veterans countywide. Within the next year or two when the stage is achieved to submit data electronically, copying would be eliminated and originals would be sent directly to the Veterans Administration. VetraSpec provides support to the department’s transfer of the existing 30,000 file s to the new system. Zack moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Taub absent. THE COMMITTEE RECESSED FROM 11:47 -11:50 a.m. PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 3 May 14, 2013 4. COMMITTEE CHARGE PURSUANT TO MR #13017 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – EXAMINATION OF HOW OAKLAND COUNTY CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED FROM GUN VIOLENCE – INPUT FROM SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS REPRESENTATIVES Chairperson Dwyer welcomed all to the fifth meeting on the gun violence issue and made a shor t opening statement. The panel was introduced by Commissioner Bosnic as follows: Ryan Berman, attorney, and Commissioner John Scott. The focus of this discussion is to gain information from the advocates and their recommendations. Joe Majcher, citizen and resident of Orchard Lake, was permitted to make a public comment regarding Second Amendment rights. The representatives thanked Chairperson Dwyer for the invitation to participate and made an opening statement. In response to committee members’ questions, the following information and suggestions were discussed. • Widespread Gun Ownership – has made the public more safe. Gun violence and crime is at an all-time low; gun ownership is at an all -time high. • Gun Training and Education – consists of fundamentals regarding safe storage of firearms and safety, as well as basic self -defense. Michigan law requires a minimum training level of eight hours, which is made up of five hours of classroom instruction and three hours of shooting range time. The training may be done through Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES), local police department or an individual training agent usually recognized by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Upon completion of training, a certificate must be presented to the gun board when applying for a Concealed Pistol License (CPL). No basic level of training is required to purchase a pistol or rifle. A CD is supplied by the county clerk on Michigan firearm laws when one applies for a CPL . The Eddie Eagle GunSafe program was designed by the NRA to teach children the dangers of firearms. Experience with guns brings familiarity. Families should teach young ch ildren about morals, responsibility and basic respect for others . • Existing Gun Regulations – are supported by Mr. Berman and Commissioner Scott. There is debate across the country as to whether changes in laws would affect gun violence. It is mandated by law that any gun sold comes with a securing device, a trigger lock or some kind of locking mechanism. Gun regulations affect law -abiding citizens who care about laws. • NICS – National Instant Criminal Background System Check has been instituted in Michigan and is a useful tool. These checks are effective, but they ar e for a specific list of things, like felonies, misdemeanors and domestic violence. A background check does not predict the future. One loophole in the check system is a straw purchase. An example of this is when a friend without a criminal record purch ases a gun for someone who does have a record. Most people with a criminal record are not going to apply for a gun license. Gun sellers at gun shows in Michigan have NICS available to them. • Automatic or semi-automatic guns – are considered the same type of weapon, whether one holds the trigger to fire or triggers fast on a semi -automatic to mimic automatic. Automatic guns are regulated. A person legally cannot own a new automatic weapon; the gun has to have been made prior to 1986. • Gun Purchase Requirements – consist of filling out an application, the FBI is notified and PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 4 May 14, 2013 the NICS check is run. After that process the applicant is either granted, denied or delayed for further investigation. Possession of the gun is taken right after purchase if the applicant is qualified. A private gun sale from an individual requires that a permit be obtained from a local police department and the background check is run there. Most crimes are committed with illegally purchased weapons. In closing Chairperson Dwyer thanked the committee, panel members and Commissioner Gershenson for assistance in this endeavor. A three person bipartisan Study Group is planned to be formed to analyze and review the testimony received from each of the five series, including law enforcement and government representatives, school superintendents, mental health care individuals and Second Amendment rights advocates. The committee will come to a consensus by June 13, when the Committee will consider a final report with recommendatio ns to be given to the entire Board of Commissioners. COMMUNICATIONS A. Sheriff’s Office – GY 2013 Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BPV) Program Grant Application. B. Prosecuting Attorney – FY 2014 Victim Rights - Grant Application. McGillivray moved to receive and file the communications. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 12:44 p.m. _____________________________________ ___________________________________ Tracy Stolzenfeld Jim VerPloeg Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.