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Hey guys! Tonight I am at Whitney Elementary for a Vista Neighborhood Association meeting.
Guests include Mayor McLean and Chief Lee.
Guests include Mayor McLean and Chief Lee.
McLean is starting off touting the newly announced small business grant program. Details: https://boisedev.com/news/2020/09/15/mclean-launches-small-business-grant-program-for-impacts-of-covid-19/
Chief Lee is telling the story of how he decided to come to Boise. He said a close friend of his who grew up in Boise moved back here from Portland, and he joked "if the police chief job ever opens up, let me know"
And three days later, Chief Bones announced his retirement.
And three days later, Chief Bones announced his retirement.
He came and visited and said he enjoyed the city and its people, so he put in for the job.
Now he's going over what he presented to city council last night in a worksession about the challenges of staffing at BPD.
Details: https://boisedev.com/news/2020/09/16/bpd-chief-boise-needs-to-add-40-to-50-police-officers/
Details: https://boisedev.com/news/2020/09/16/bpd-chief-boise-needs-to-add-40-to-50-police-officers/
Lee says Boise's police department is structured fundamentally differently than the rest of the country because of it's strong focus on community policing.
"Boise can be a beacon of hope for a profession struggling with legitimacy in other places."
"Boise can be a beacon of hope for a profession struggling with legitimacy in other places."
Lee is now addressing the issue of homeless residents living in RVs in the area.
I wrote about this here: https://boisedev.com/news/2020/09/04/homelessness-on-wheels-boise-police-social-workers-launch-new-initiative-for-those-living-in-vehicles-in-downtown-boise/
I wrote about this here: https://boisedev.com/news/2020/09/04/homelessness-on-wheels-boise-police-social-workers-launch-new-initiative-for-those-living-in-vehicles-in-downtown-boise/
He's saying the same thing I heard from Capt. Burch in the above story.
"It would be easy for me to say “the easiest way for me to deal with homeless camping is we will write tickets”, but a strict enforcement model is not going to get to the root of the issue."
"It would be easy for me to say “the easiest way for me to deal with homeless camping is we will write tickets”, but a strict enforcement model is not going to get to the root of the issue."
Lee is now talking about the issue of crime at a motel in the Vista Neighborhood, which is being referred to as "Old Boise Motel." (I don't know where this is.)
Neighbors are concerned about the high concentration of folks renting rooms there who are formerly incarcerated.
Neighbors are concerned about the high concentration of folks renting rooms there who are formerly incarcerated.
They are concerned about high levels of crime at the motel.
In response, Lee said there needs to be an effort to find more areas where felons can rent around Boise so they do not all rent in the same complex where they can be "tempted" to reoffend.
In response, Lee said there needs to be an effort to find more areas where felons can rent around Boise so they do not all rent in the same complex where they can be "tempted" to reoffend.
A woman who lives in the Sunrise Rim Neighborhood said she has a lot of issues with trash in her yard, including syringes.
"What responsibility does the hotel have to take care of that?"
"What responsibility does the hotel have to take care of that?"
Lee said he is exploring different solutions to the hotel issue, but he's still learning what would work in Idaho for Boise. He did acknowledge the impacts.
"If someone owns a hotel and they are willing to be a hotel slumlord, it becomes a problem for anyone who lives near it.
"If someone owns a hotel and they are willing to be a hotel slumlord, it becomes a problem for anyone who lives near it.
Lee said people should record all of their complaints with photos and times to present to the city, ACHD and the police when they're trying to show why things are going wrong in the neighborhood. He said more data will help.
Now they're discussing issues with college students living in the neighborhood.
Lee said neighbors can call in noise complaints, but "we might not get to it as fast as you would like to get back to sleep."
Lee said neighbors can call in noise complaints, but "we might not get to it as fast as you would like to get back to sleep."
One idea Lee brought up is he wants to try and work with Boise State to have conversation with them about behavior with the school so they're supported and can get through college, instead of just doing police enforcement.
Someone asked Lee what are two lessons he learned from Portland he doesn't want to see repeated in Boise:
1. Strong coordination between addiction and mental health nonprofits with police
2. Good urban planning to make all neighborhoods value to prevent urban blight later
1. Strong coordination between addiction and mental health nonprofits with police
2. Good urban planning to make all neighborhoods value to prevent urban blight later
This is super interesting. He said neighborhoods where developers rapidly build without any services, like parks and grocery stores will become high crime neighborhoods later.
Dave Frazier, from the Boise Guardian, is asking a question about the possibility of a commission (like the Public Works commission) for BPD to advise the department.
Lee said he is open to it.
Lee said he is open to it.
Something else interesting: Lee said smart phones have changed policing because people can call from anywhere about anything, and then walk away from the problem.
Lee is done, and now we're going to hear from three different ACHD candidates.
Jim Hansen is starting.
Jim Hansen is starting.
Hansen is opening with a broad introduction about various projects in Vista, which he said he has helped get done at ACHD. He talked about the need for traffic calming projects and bike projects to make drivers slow down and make it safer for bicycles.
He says ACHD needs to use a data-driven process to decide what projects will be funded and what they will look like.
Hansen said he thinks there should be a lot more coordination between Boise's P&Z and ACHD when they're approving projects, instead of the two boards being played off against each other.
Jim is now turning it over to his opponent, Kara Veit.
She has been a lifelong resident of SE Boise and she has also worked in "public involvement" for 15 years. Veit said ACHD needs "a fresh voice and a balanced approach."
She has been a lifelong resident of SE Boise and she has also worked in "public involvement" for 15 years. Veit said ACHD needs "a fresh voice and a balanced approach."
Veit said transportation in Boise has devolved into "two screaming sides" between those who want everything to be public transit and those who want to only expand roads and have "superhighways."
She said she would like to have a more balanced approach between the two.
She said she would like to have a more balanced approach between the two.
"ACHD is so perfectly positioned to be a leader to work with these cities instead of being an enemy."
She said she wants to start a regional transportation advisory committee where everyone comes together to discuss solutions.
She said she wants to start a regional transportation advisory committee where everyone comes together to discuss solutions.
Dave Kangas asked about how ACHD can meet demands of growth when there is resistance to raising property taxes.
Veit said they should increase user fees to increase more revenue. As a reminder, voters turned down an increase in registration fees in November 2018.
Veit said they should increase user fees to increase more revenue. As a reminder, voters turned down an increase in registration fees in November 2018.
Veit said if she could change one thing about ACHD, she would want more nighttime construction work and incentives contractors to finish early or on time.
Veit said Boise wants mroe public transit, but in the meantime, people cannot live here without a car.
"We can't plan a future around a system we don't have."
"We can't plan a future around a system we don't have."
Up last is Rebecca Arnold, former mayoral candidate and sixteen year incumbent.
She said ACHD has increased a 9% increase in impact fees in August, which should help pay for more improvements needed for growth. The agency did not increase property taxes.
She said ACHD has increased a 9% increase in impact fees in August, which should help pay for more improvements needed for growth. The agency did not increase property taxes.
Arnold echoed what Veit said about the need for projects to be completed more quickly. She also pointed to the project to replace the Cloverdale overpass, which normally would take three years, but due to the emergency it was replaced within a year.
Arnold on growth paying for itself:
"Will growth ever truly pay for itself 100%? No. It won't. Because it would make the cost of a house so astronomical because it would be difficult for people to afford."
"Will growth ever truly pay for itself 100%? No. It won't. Because it would make the cost of a house so astronomical because it would be difficult for people to afford."
And that's it for tonight!
And, there will be more stories to come from me about ACHD elections this November.
And, there will be more stories to come from me about ACHD elections this November.
