Laserfiche WebLink
the first time he had been able to participate in such an event. He felt honored to do so. <br /> <br />Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. <br /> <br />7. ACTION: <br />An Ordinance Concerning Downtown Public Safety Zones; Amending Ordinance No. 20419 to <br />Extend the Sunset Date and Deadline for Providing a Recommendation Regarding Continued <br />Enforcement of the Ordinance; and Providing an Immediate Effective Date <br /> <br />Mr. Clark, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to adopt Council Bill 5033, the proposed <br />ordinance concerning amending Ordinance No. 20419 by extending the sunset date and <br />deadline for providing a recommendation regarding continued enforcement of the ordinance. <br /> <br />Ms. Ortiz hoped the Police Commission could demonstrate what the data showed and that she got what she <br />needed to continue to support the ordinance. She said the City had thrown everything at downtown but the <br />kitchen sink. She was more than willing to do what she could to support downtown, but she had heartburn <br />over the issue as a result of the testimony she heard and the input she received. She looked forward to <br />seeing the data. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor said she opposed excluding anyone from downtown. People have to be somewhere and if they <br />commit crimes there were other remedies. She had not voted for the ordinance and there was no way she <br />would vote for it now. Downtown was better for people to be than other places and the more people <br />downtown, the better it was for downtown. Ms. Taylor said she had been impressed with the testimony of <br />the ACLU. She acknowledged it was a difficult situation for her because she liked and admired many <br />people testifying in favor of the ordinance. She just disagreed with them about the ordinance. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark hoped the council extended the ordinance to give the Police Commission time to examine the data. <br />He reminded the community that the Police Commission meetings always included a Public Forum <br />opportunity. <br /> <br />Mr. Brown recalled that the ordinance was established for a two-year period and the ordinance had reached <br />its sunset date. He said it was time for the ordinance to expire. The Police Commission was aware that the <br />ordinance was due to expire and although he acknowledged the commission was busy, he thought it could <br />have formed a subcommittee to review the topic. <br /> <br />Mr. Brown said the raw statistics the council received from Judge Wayne Allen indicated there were 11 pre- <br />trial exclusions. He had a hard time with that statistic. He thought the new jail beds and police downtown <br />would help conditions downtown. Mr. Brown did not support the ordinance and preferred to let it sunset <br />while further analysis occurred. Then the council could reinstate it. He believed it was of questionable <br />legality but those being charged had no money to challenge it. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka had not initially supported the exclusion zone and was skeptical about it. However, he would <br />support extending the ordinance pending receipt of the commission’s review. <br /> <br />Speaking to Mr. Brown’s comments, Mr. Zelenka pointed out the commission could only do so much work <br />in the time given and the council had asked it to review the taser policy, which took considerable commission <br />time and energy. He considered the extension a procedural rather than a substantive issue. He wanted to <br />know who was excluded for what, and for how long. He was also curious to know how one discerned the <br />difference between the effect of the exclusion zone and the other things going on. He was also concerned <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—City Council April 14, 2010 Page 5 <br /> <br />