2019 March Safety Committee minutes

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MINUTES OF ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY SAFETY COMMITTEE

HELD AT DIANA TORREY HEALTH AND COUNSELING CENTER, CONFERENCE ROOM ON

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019 STARTING AT 9:00 AM.

Chairperson:       William Ritchie, Co-Chair

Present:               David Geleta, Kasarian Dane, Jim Kozsan, Susan Johnson (secretary),

                                Stacie Olney-LaPierre, Ethan Townsend, Marcus Sherburne, Tim Kinch

                                    and Tumo Koontse

 

Apologies:            Patrick Gagnon, Co-Chair, Suna Stone, Sharmela Garcia-Martin, Nick

                                Ormasen, Dan Seaman, David Richer, Stacy Vassar, Marsha Sawyer,

                                    Timothy Corbitt, Mary Charleston, Traci Grainger and Jill Pflugheber

Open comments, introductions and guests

Approval of the Minutes

Stacie Olney-LaPierre

Old Business:

 

  1. The need for residential doorways to be shoveled out in the event of a large snowstorm was emailed to the committee. It was discussed that there is a call-in list and that the Security Dispatcher will contact the Facilities on-call manager to put the plan into motion. Subject to scheduling prior to storm; no force list. Dispatch is to call Manager on call and the plan will be put in place. CLOSED.

 

  1. Lack of lighting over by Java and the Block Building across from Eben Holden. Concern of safety for drivers and pedestrians.  Jim and Sharmela will walk the area (s) in question and look at the light readings for this area and make a determination of the next steps. Jim is going to have 3 adjacent green lights relamped. To be completed by end of next week. CLOSED.

 

  1. Item 2 brought up the concern of students crossing Park Street without even looking up; and in many times not in a marked crosswalk. We ask all drivers to please be very aware of pedestrian traffic. Bill will be putting a reminder in the Hill News as well – Safety Square was included in the Hill News to address safety concerns. CLOSED.

 

  1. The corner of the Bookstore and E-Lot is very slippery due to the grade of the sidewalk and the dripping snow/rain freezing unevenly. More salting and sanding will help, possibly of leaving a bucket of sand/salt out for pedestrians to spread on problem area – Ice melt will be available 24 hours in the vestibule of the Brewer Bookstore for use on the problem areas. CLOSED.

 

  1. Concerns over the large rock boulders on campus when covered with snow become a dangerous hazard. Committee suggests drivers be alert and stay on roadways and not areas where the rock boulders are located.  Marcus stated the safest way to avoid the rock boulders is to stay on roadways.  The rock boulders are in place to minimize vehicular traffic and keep them on a permitted roadway since St. Lawrence is a walking campus. All reported incidents of vehicles hitting the boulders were avoidable. The Safety Committee will be recommending this issue be sent to the Buildings and Grounds Committee for further discussion and review.

New Business: 

 

  1. Marsha Sawyer sent out a site accessibility survey that she got from a conference to be distributed in her absence to the Safety Committee.

 

  1. A community member brought up the need for more backup alarms to be put on University vehicles. Currently all 15-passenger vans, dump trucks and delivery vehicles have the backup alarms. The smaller sedans, SUV’s and equipment do not. If you are operating a vehicle that should have a backup alarm on it and it isn’t working, please submit a work order to Facilities Operations at http://webtma.stlawu.edu:82/home.html.  University drivers need to use caution and be aware of surroundings at all times while operating vehicles. CLOSED.

 

  1. Skunk problem at the Steiner Townhouses. Marcus sent over staff to do some clean up, what he  can see is most of the issue is garbage being thrown out of the doors to later take to the recycle sheds, as well as the recycle shed doors being left open.  We need to get something out to the residents to keep the area garbage free so that they aren’t creating an inviting environment for skunks and with some simple housekeeping practices this can be avoided. Moyers have been called to set humanitarian traps to relocate the skunks. Residence Life is following up with students at Townhouses. CLOSED.

 

  1. Wooden fence located outside of Student Center needs to have exit maintained at all times. Facilities has been notified. CLOSED.

Tabled

 

  1. Marcus S. and Pat G. met with Becky Allen from SLC Public Health to discuss becoming a POD location again. They will work on an MOU and keep the committee advised – Attempting to get a meeting set up with Brandi Lamay the new SLC Public Health Liaison to familiarize her with the MOU.

Future Meetings:

The next Safety Committee meeting will be Friday, April 5, 2019.  It is requested that any new business to be added to the Agenda be forwarded to Susan Johnson no later than Friday, March 29, 2019.  

Meeting Adjourned at 9:38 a.m.