MILTON — The Milton Common Council will consider on Tuesday approving the purchase of suppressors for police rifles instead of upfitting a police squad. Also as part of the shift, $5,400 that was to go toward the police squad would instead go toward the opening of a fitness room for city employees.
The council previously approved upfitting a squad for the police department’s school resource officer at a cost of $12,000. An initial request for $20,000 for the squad was reduced to $12,000 because of an annual increase from Axon, the company that the city contracts with for body cameras and cloud evidence storage. That went up to $20,000 annually from $10,000.
The updated request from the police department is for eight patrol rifle suppressors for $6,600 from New Berlin-based American Defense Manufacturing, for six patrol rifles and two designated for Milton’s school resource officer and the SWAT officer.
According to a memo included in Tuesday’s meeting documents, suppressors reduce liability for the police department and the city because of the reduction of noise and potential for hearing damage in the event of a firearm being fired in a vehicle, inside a building or around citizens or officers.
“Additionally, they reduce muzzle flash, which aids in low-light/no-light incidents, and, due to the noise and flash reduction, they help officers provide significantly better noise reduction than ear-level devices alone. The two combined in firearms training will reduce the potential for hearing damage to our officers,” the memo states.
The memo says the health of city employees is an “important component in recruitment and retention,” and says a fitness center would provide an opportunity for employees to make or keep self-care a priority. It calls the proposed workout space an “investment” in employees’ personal health and career longevity.
An estimate from Memphis, Tennessee-based fitness equipment manufacturer Titan Fitness includes a power rack, adjustable benches, a barbell, bumper plates, barbell collars, wall balls, a dumbbell rack, a storage tree and dumbbells for just under $4,993.
Road improvements
The council also on Tuesday will consider utility and street improvements to John Paul Road and Sunset Drive. Also set to be discussed are a new extension of Sunset Drive between Lukas Lane and Northside Drive and an extension of Lukas Lane from the current intersection north to the extension of Sunset Drive. Another consideration will be abandoning and vacating Serns Road between Sunset Drive and John Paul Road. And improvements to Pheasant Ridge, Badger Lane and Northside Drive between Sunset and the north city limits will be discussed.
The total project is expected to cost about $3.8 million. That includes about $350,000 to install new sidewalks and retaining walls, improve driveways and do grading work. Staff reviewed the cost of planting trees, which would cost $300 to $500 per tree. The project will be funded through borrowing, which will be done later in the year, according to the resolution.
Special needs child signs
The city has no formal policy regarding signs indicating a presence of children with special needs, including those who are “deaf, blind, autistic, or otherwise disabled,” according to a memo from the city to the council. A proposal also on Tuesday’s meeting agenda seeks to change that.
“These signs are intended to increase driver awareness of conditions that may not be readily apparent and to improve safety within residential areas,” the memo states.
Proposed are standardized procedures, including a set of criteria such as showing proof of residency inside the city. The child would have to be 17 years of age or younger.
Applications would be reviewed by the director of public works or a designee. The director or designee would determine the location of the sign or signs, make sure the application is on file and to ensure the applicant proves proof of residency annually.
An application would need a signed certificate from a qualified physician verifying a diagnosis. Only 1-2 signs would be approved within a “reasonable distance of the child’s primary residence” as determined by the public works director. The installation of the signs would be done by city staff.
The public works director and police chief would consider the crash history in the area, any potential conflicts with existing traffic control devices, any visibility concerns and “any other relevant safety considerations.”
Other items
The council will also consider disallowing paper ballots in voting by the council to fill council seat vacancies.
And the council will consider replacing a work truck for the sanitary sewer and storm water utility.
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