2019 October 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, OCTOBER 4, 2019 STARTING AT 9:00 AM.

 

Chairperson:      Patrick W. Gagnon, Co-Chair

 

Present:              Bill Ritchie, Co-Chair, Susan Johnson, Secretary, , Kasarian Dane, Jim Kozsan, Suna

                           Stone, Sharmela Garcia-Martin, Nick Ormasen, Timothy Corbitt, Ethan Townsend,

                           David Geleta and Traci Grainger

 

Apologies:          Marcus Sherburne, Stacie Olney-LaPierre, Tim Kinch, Dan Seaman, Stacy Vassar,

    Marsha Sawyer, Mary Charleston and Jill Pflugheber

  

Open comments, introductions and guests

Approval of the Minutes

Sharmela Garcia-Martin

New Business:

  1. Sharmela brought up her concern of students riding bicycles through campus at dangerous levels; darting out in front of traffic and pedestrians; Bill to submit “Safety Square” to Hill News with bicycle safety and crosswalk safety tips.  Crosswalk signs have been removed from all crosswalks per Village order; Village may be obtaining a grant for warning lights and if we could get three for our “hot spots;” Augsbury, Bookstore and lower Park Street it would be ideal. There will also be a Complete Street discussion on crossing Route 11 @ 310 and outer Main Street.

 

  1. Sharmela – concern of people walking up to service animals and trying to pet them or asking owner if they can pet them and becoming put off and irritated when told “no.” The campus community needs to be educated on the difference between service animals and emotional support animals; the proper etiquette, etc. They are legally not required to mark the service animals. Service animals are allowed anywhere on campus; emotional support animals are allowed in the dorm room and leashed walking on campus. This prompted the committee to discuss the University Pet Policy, which will be reviewed at a future meeting.

 

 

Old Business:

 

  1. Annual NYS Fire Safety inspections have started in Academic Buildings. Residence Hall inspections are scheduled for October 15th through October 18th, 2019 – Fire Inspections are 75% done; Student inspections start next week; Security officer to assist.  Bill mentioned the Brown Modular buildings outside of Brown; are they necessary? Will be going to Buildings and Grounds Committee with questions.

 

  1. Shelter in Place Drill – Drill has been postponed; AVP Gagnon to speak with Faculty Council on October 15th.  There is a need to exercise notifier; people need to see it and it gives people that miss the message a chance to register their cell numbers in order to receive messages. Heading towards utilizing RAVE system, which turns every subscriber’s cell phone into an emergency blue light phone; Associated Colleges participate in the RAVE program enabling them to receive and send their messages to all four colleges.

 

  1. Traffic control behind bookstore – there will be updated traffic control behind the Bookstore; initial plan was to remove connector and it will be closed.

 

  1. The area behind Madill building walkway to the parking lot near the geology vans; water and ice stay in place creating potential hazard for pedestrians - Jim and Sharmela to setup a meeting to walk the location in question and determine a course of action.  Jim and Sharmela walked the area and shot the grade; determined that it needed to be asphalted with the pitch running away from the walkway in order allow water to flow properly and not cause damming. CLOSED.

 

 

Tabled

 

  1. Review Integrated Pest Management Plan –Needs to be reviewed/revised. Last updated in 2006. This is located on the EH&S Website. The suggestion of a sub-committee was discussed and potential members will be contacted. Suna will be taking the lead and recruiting members from Biology, ENVS, Facilities Building Manager and Marcus Sherburne. Hoping to have updated draft ready for Committee review next semester. Discussed EAB plan (Emerald Ash Borer). There are 6,000 in the wooded areas and 213 on campus. The plan is to remove as the trees die out. Suna to bring revisions to next meeting November 1st. 

 

  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.  The Safety Committee will be submitting this the B&G Chair, Larry French, to ask for committee consideration in moving the issue up the ladder. Marcus has talked to B&G Chair Larry French. They will move ahead on discussions in the Fall. Dr. French asked where the problem spots are; Suna and Pat to review and mark on campus map for him.

 

It is requested that any new business to be added to the Agenda be forwarded to Susan Johnson no later than October 25, 2019.

 

There being no further business, the meeting closed.

 

Meeting Adjourned at 10:03 a.m.