News

City News Briefs

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

City News Briefs are compiled by individual departments and submitted to the City Manager's Office in an effort to update the mayor, council, and public in regards to positive municipal activity.

Raving Fans at the PD

Prescott Police Department Community Services secretary Michelle Medina and Detective Norman Peterson received "Raving Fan" awards from City Manager Steve Norwood for their individual efforts. Michelle was recognized for her efforts with the annual Shop with a Cop program that pairs children with Police Officers for a morning of Christmas shopping and bonding. In 2009, 82 children from around the community participated in this program. Detective Peterson was recognized, along with volunteers Gary Carriger and Don Eremenchuk, for streamlining the sex offender notification process, which led to a savings of over $3,500.

Police Step Up Presence in Downtown

The Police Department has been receiving an increased amount of complaints/concerns about unwanted activity in the downtown area. This activity includes unlawful public consumption of alcohol, bathroom use, panhandling, skateboarding, bicycle rider complaints, criminal damage, and unlawful juvenile acts. In response to this increased activity, the Police Department is promoting a community policing effort and establishing a SARA project which scans, analyzes, responds and assesses community issues in order to effectively mitigate the identified problems. As part of phase one of this project, the Department has increased its presence in the downtown area. Officers will be working the area in plain clothes, as well as in uniform, looking for unlawful activity.

Police Department goes Thermal

Through Edward T. Byrnes grant funding, the Police Department has purchased a Thermal Imaging Unit that allows officers to pick up thermal images at night. This unit is mounted on a patrol vehicle spotlight and is effective in locating suspects hiding, recently operated vehicles and lost children and adults via a thermal image heat signature (heat area outline).

Honor Guard on Ice

The Prescott Police Department Honor Guard was chosen to post the colors at the last home game of the season for the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team in Glendale. The Honor Guard represented our city and Police Department proudly on April 7th as they posted the colors in front of 18,000+ Coyote fans.

Police Join Forces to Enforce

The Prescott Police Department assisted the Prescott Valley Police Department with a traffic enforcement detail on State Route 69 in Prescott Valley to make motorist aware of the problem of speeding on this section of the highway. The officers issued 92 citations for various infractions. The Prescott Valley PD will return the spirit of cooperation when they assist our officers with a similar detail on State Route 69 near Walker Road this spring.

Small Water Mains Projects Out for Bid

Two smaller projects were recently advertised on March 28, 2010, with opening of bids scheduled April 22, 2010. The projects are:

1) Flatau Drive and Overstreet Drive & Leroux Street and Granite Street project includes replacing undersized water mains with 2,530 LF of new water line ranging from 4 to 8-inches in diameter, water services and appurtenances.

2) Rodeo Grounds, Tolemac Drive to Wildwood Drive Connection and Ute Road project includes replacing undersized water mains with 2,032 LF of 8-inch water line, water services, and appurtenances. The work will be scheduled TO NOT CONFLICT with the Rodeo.

Zone 39 Phase III - Throughout the week, crews will be mobilizing into the Indian Hill area of Country Club Drive to begin the demolition and removal of the two existing water reservoirs atop Indian Hill. Trucks hauling materials to and from the site will be travelling along Country Club Drive from Park Avenue to Indian Hill. While work will largely occur off the roadway, occasional, short-term traffic impacts may be experienced at the Indian Hill access road/Country Club intersection. Please be aware of the following:

Monday, April 12th through Thursday, April 15th from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Motorists may experience reduced speeds, narrow lanes, and possible flagging operations along Country Club Drive. Residents should allow extra time and use caution to move through the project area.

Due to safety concerns, pedestrian access through the work zone is prohibited for the duration of the Phase III construction. This means that Indian Hill is closed to recreational use until the new reservoir is constructed.

Chipping Away for Safety

The Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission recently voted to purchase a new wood chipper for the Wildland Division. The chipper will be turned over to the City of Prescott for use in creating defensible space within the City. This $45,000 donation will purchase a chipper and retire one that was grant funded in 2002 and has basically worn out. The funds come from money raised by PAWUIC for Prescott Area fuels reduction projects and will reduce the need for a capital project in the General Fund. Once the chipper is received PAWUIC will get on a Council agenda and officially present the keys and title to the City for this vital piece of equipment

Ready, Set, Go

The International Association of Fire Chief's recently chose Prescott as one of nine pilot communities to get the word out on wildland fire preparedness. Prescott was chosen as one of nine fire departments in the nation to pilot this new educational project entitled "Ready, Set, Go." All training and educational materials are funded by the IAFC with hopes of rolling the program out nationwide in 2011. Recently the IAFC paid for the travel of one of our chief officers to attend a training session in Reno, Nevada. This program will assist our department and residents in preparing their homes and families to withstand a wildfire and also be prepared with emergency supplies during any emergency.