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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafe & Healthy - 2007-10-16SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES October 16. 2007 CITY OF KITCHENER The Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee met this date, commencing at 4:10 p.m. Present: Councillor B. Vrbanovic, Chair T. Bender, P. Doherty, M. Hogg, P. Ji-Taylor, K. Kwiatkowski, C. Schneider, R. Gould, and T. Beaulne. S. Franzen and N. Cybulski were in attendance for part of the meeting. Staff: Ms. S. Adams, Director of Community and Corporate Planning Mr. M. Hildebrand, Interim Director of Community Programs & Services Ms. A. Grafstein, Community and Corporate Planning Associate Mr. S. Turner, Director of By-law Enforcement Ms. L Korabo, Committee Administrator 1. "CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY IN KITCHENER" Ms. S. Adams advised that a presentation on the "Creating a Culture of Safety in Kitchener: Future Search" forum had been made to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee on October 15, 2007. This two-day Future Search forum, held at the Waterloo Region Children's Museum on September 20-21, 2007, attracted 93 participants on Day 1 and 85 on Day 2. By way of background information, it was noted that the concept of holding this forum was a recommendation contained in "A Plan for a Healthy Kitchener, 2007-2027" (P4HK). Specifically with respect to community safety and crime prevention, P4HK recommended: • that the City work with its many partners -individuals, families, neighbourhoods, organization and all orders of government - to create a culture of safety, through social development and through increasing the capacity of communities to discuss, define and address their shared concerns; and, • that the City continues to focus resources and create partnerships, to address the issue of safety perception in the Downtown. The "Future Search" approach was chosen for its principles of balancing process and creating a learning environment which will evolve into actions and developing relations for future collaborations. The process asks participants to spend time understanding and discussing the past and the present in order to plan for the future. The Forum's goal was to bring together the community to achieve the following outcomes: • develop a shared vision -definition of a safe community; • enhance existing and develop new collaborations, relationships and mechanisms for citizen engagement and communication that are inclusive of the diversity of citizens and other stakeholders in the community; • identify priorities for practical initiatives that can be accomplished in 1, 5 and 10 years that will move Kitchener towards the shared vision of a safe community; and, • identify which members of the community will be responsible for taking action on specific initiatives. Presentations were heard from community groups outlining current practices. Discussions where then held regarding improvements and building on these practices. To undertake this visioning process, participants formed 9 groups, held discussions and established a draft action plan. Some of the action items identified in the plan are already underway. Each group had a lead and it was the responsibility of the lead to continue the forward movement of ideas generated during the Forum. A copy of the Forum's draft action plan was circulated to members. Any feedback obtained will be taken back to the Forum's Planning Committee for discussion at its meeting on October 24, 2007. Staff will work with this Committee to prepare a report for presentation to City Council in the late Fall. This report will request permission for the next steps which will be clearly outlined and it is anticipated that it will also provide suggestions on how the City might support other community stakeholders in moving forward with their own actions. SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES October 16, 2007 -22- CITY OF KITCHENER 1. "CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY IN KITCHENER" tCONT'D) Ms. Adams noted that Ms. T. Beaulne and Ms. M. Hogg, both of whom where in attendance at the Forum, have already begun work on integrating suggestions regarding how the actions outlined by the 9 groups fit into the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee's (SHCAC) Workplan. Several members of the Committee who attended the forum gave personal observations of their experience and, in summary, Councillor B. Vrbanovic stated that it is incumbent upon this Committee to ensure that action items identified move forward. He suggested that some items can be accomplished quickly but others will take a longer period of time and will require adequate resources. Ms. T. Beaulne and Ms. M. Hogg then began reviewing their suggested alignments of the draft action plan with items contained in the SHCAC's Workplan. A modified chart of the Forum's draft action plan was circulated highlighting suggested alignments to the Committee's Workplan and possible next steps to achieving goals. Ms. Beaulne noted that all themes within the Committee's Workplan had been included in their review with the exception of "green strategies". The first item on the forum's action plan was Regulatory Review. Mr. S. Turner, Director of Enforcement, was a member of this group and spoke to the goals of the group, being to ensure that public space regulations are put in place that are balanced, effective, appropriate, respectful and understood. He noted that two matters to address inappropriate behaviour are already underway. The City's has a Nuisance By-law in draft form. In addition, another staff group will be meeting to work on a strategy for removal of graffiti on public and private property. Members of the Committee discussed the effectiveness of the current `Graffitibusters Hotline', enforcement of graffiti removal both in the Downtown and citywide. Mr. Turner questioned how the Committee sees its involvement in future planning /discussions on the issue of graffiti. He saw the options as: being a part of the discussions (process) or acting as a sounding board for ideas emanating from the staff group discussions. Mr. M. Hildebrand reminded members that, at the time that a funding request from the KDBA for graffiti removal overexpenditure was approved, it was suggested that staff investigate creating long-term program funding for graffiti removal in future years. An information report was prepared and provided to council with specific information on the types of graffiti experienced in Kitchener, the ways graffiti is currently addressed in Kitchener, the ways graffiti is addressed in other municipalities and suggesting that amulti-faceted approach might be the best way to deal with graffiti in the future. Mr. S. Turner suggested that the Committee could be provided with regular updates on staff's activities and used as a sounding board for proposed actions. He noted that it is proposed that the strategy will be in place for the Spring of 2008. A concern was raised concerning funding being available for all of the work being suggested within the Committee's Workplan and Councillor B. Vrbanovic advised that priorities will need to be established and funding allocated. The Committee has a current budget of $48,000. some of which is committed on a yearly basis for ongoing projects. The next item from the Forum's action plan was Strategy on Poverty. Ms. S. Adams noted a linkage to the Committee's social inclusion and isolation theme which is currently on the unfinished business list. Ms. M. Hogg noted a desire to bring this matter forward and have the working group assigned to it (T. Beaulne / M. Hildebrand) focus solely on poverty issues within the Kitchener boundaries and not regionally. It was further suggested that Community Services Department staff who work in Inclusion Services could be asked to participate in any future planning of initiatives. Mr. Hildebrand agreed to provide a staff contact who could investigate possible participation in the Committee's discussions on social isolation and inclusion. Ms. Hogg was the lead for this group at the forum and is currently working on bringing the group back together, post conference, to continue its discussions and determine next steps. SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES October 16, 2007 -23- CITY OF KITCHENER 1. "CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY IN KITCHENER" tCONT'D) The last item discussed at this meeting was Neighbourhood Engagement and Ownership Now! Nt EON) whose goal it is to develop tools and process to engage individuals from geographic neighbourhoods and communication of interests resulting in sense of ownership and belonging. The linkage to the Committee's theme is the annual "Festival of Neighbourhoods" (FoN) celebration and it was suggested that representatives from NEON join the Committee's FoN working group. Councillor B. Vrbanovic suggested that discussion of remaining items from the Forum's draft action plan and their linkages to the Committee's Workplan be continued at the November 6, 2007 meeting. Ms. Adams suggested that as the Forum's Planning Committee is meeting the in interim, it could hold some continued discussions and she will bring these outcomes back to the next meeting so that the Committee can continue its deliberations. 2. PRESENTATION -LIQUOR LICENCE SYMPOSIUM The Committee was reminded that, at its May 1, 2007 meeting, it approved a $500. grant in favour of the "Downtown East: Ya Gotta Luv It!" group toward the cost of holding a liquor licence symposium on June 26, 2007. At that time, the Committee requested that the organizing group report back on the outcomes of the symposium. Ms. Karen Taylor-Harrison, Coordinator, "Downtown East: Ya Gotta Luv It!" project, and Sgt. Mark Bullock, Waterloo Regional Police Services, attended to provide an overview of the symposium. Sgt. Bullock advised that all licensed establishment owners in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge were invited to attend: 165 of which attended. Representatives of all the major bars in these cities were at the symposium. The purpose of the gathering was to educate owners regarding their civil liabilities and offer suggestions on how to operate a more responsible establishment. Topics discussed were: over-serving; removal of patrons; and, patron safety. Dr. Robert Solomon of the University of Western Ontario, who is an authority on liquor liability, was the featured guest speaker. Another speaker discussed the topic of patron security. The Liquor Licence Board of Ontario provided a speaker who discussed enforcement of the Liquor Licence Act and also gave an overview of recent changes to the Act. Sgt. Bullock thanked the Committee for its contribution and, in response to questions from members, advised that it is hoped that this type of symposium can be held either annually or bi-annually with different topics being discussed. 3. SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE BUDGET Mr. M. Hildebrand circulated on overview of the revenues and expenses in the Committee's 2007 budget. He noted a current balance of $29,386. Members of the Committee asked questions concerning certain expenditures and of those projects, which are funded on an ongoing basis. Councillor B. Vrbanovic noted that any balance will carry over to 2008 and it is projected that a 3% increase to the Committee's 2007 allocation can be expected. It was also noted that, in the past, the Committee has been asked to contribute grants to certain projects and organizations but the monies in this budget are for the Committee's work. The City of Kitchener has its own grant process which is currently being reworked into a Community Investment Strategy. Mr. M. Hildebrand acknowledged that if large amounts of money are given to groups /agencies then less monies will be available for the Committee's work. Ms. M. Hogg questioned the funding for a new printing of the Little Black Book, noting personal concerns with the content. Councillor B. Vrbanovic asked staff to review information contained in the Little Black Book, and discuss any updates with members at the next meeting. SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES October 16, 2007 -24- CITY OF KITCHENER 4. ADJOURNMENT On motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m. Linda Korabo