[Vision2020] Oppose Noise Ordinance Modifications

[jeanlivingston]

Why not change the time before the clock re-starts from 48 hours to
one month?  


Bruce Livngston
-----Original message-----
From: "Bev Bafus" bevbafus at verizon.net
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:29:02 -0700
To: "Garrett Clevenger" garrettmc at verizon.net, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Oppose Noise Ordinance Modifications

> Garrett, I was at the meeting the other night. The proper term is
> "suspension of the rules requiring three readings of the ordinance."
> 
> So as it stands now, there are two more readings before it becomes
an
> ordinance. They didn't ask for public input, because it was not a
public
> hearing.
> 
> There were three changes to the noise ordinance suggested, and the
first is
> the one you are opposing. The reasoning behind this was to give the
police
> officers the ability to cite someone without acitizen complaint. As
the
> law reads now, a citizen would have to SIGN a complaint, not just
call 911
> for a citation to be issued. This causes problems in areas where
people are
> already less than neighborly. They find out who COMPLAINED, and
harassment
> can ensue.
> 
> If you listened to Assistant Chief David Duke, he stated that the
officers
> would still be responding to complaints, but that the complaint
could be
> anonymous. The officers still would have the discretion to only warn
an
> individual. Believe me, they know where the problems in town are.
> 
> With our current police administration and staff, I do not feel that
this
> law would be abused. However, I agree with Aaron Ament that in five
years,
> ten years - or more, we could have a different slate of individuals
who
> might abuse it.
> 
> Am I right in assuming that you do not have aproblem with the change
of the
> 48-hour rule? As the law reads now, if a warning is issued, a
citation
> cannot be issued unless an additional complaint is received within
48 hours.
> This completely ties the hands of the police when the complaint is
every
> Friday night. By the time another Friday rolls around, its been more
than
> 48 hours.
> 
> Do you have any suggestions on how individuals can protect the peace
and
> quiet of their homes without this ordinance? I don't have a problem
myself
> with stating my name if I have a viable complaint. But if I lived
next to a
> party house, I would certainly want the police to do something about
curbing
> constant noise and extremely impolite behavior.
> 
> And please, don't tell me it's a college town, and we just have to
live with
> it. College students are capable of learning how to live in society.
> 
>thanks
> Bev
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Garrett Clevenger
> Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 4:08 PM
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: [Vision2020] Oppose Noise Ordinance Modifications
> 
> 
> Hello,
> I am asking you to take a moment and contact Moscow’s City Council.
> Emails are below...
> On October 1, Moscow's City Council unanimously voted yes to modify
Moscow
> ’s Noise Ordinance to allow police officers to issue citations
without
> warning and without civilian complaint. There isn't even a set
decibel
> limit. It is up to the discretion of the police.
> 
> In other words, if you are making any noise the police deem
inappropriate,
> they can now fine you on the spot on public and private property.
> 
> They alsodid not ask the public for input at the meeting.
> 
> The only reason it is not now law is because Linda Pall blocked Bill
> Lambert from suspending the rules of 3 votes.
> 
> According to our city attorney Randy Fife, our district judge Bill
Hamlett
> has ruled that Idaho law states police officers cannot represent
themselves
> as citizens since their job is to represent all citizens. It is
illegal for
> them to have the power this proposal gives them. Therefore, this new
> proposal seems like it would be struck down if challenged.
> 
> We certainly don't have the power to have our voices heard at the
federal
> level, where civil liberties are on the attack. Take a moment to
have your
> voice heard by your local representatives. They are just doing there
job
> trying to solve a problem and need guidance to insure they are not
mimicking
> the erosions on thenational level.
> 
> 
> Aaron Ament aaronament at moscow.com
> Bill Lambert blambert at ci.moscow.id.us
> Linda Pall lpall at moscow.com;
> John Weber jweber at moscow.com
> Tom Lamar tlamar at moscow.com
> 
> 
> Unfortunately, the city website has not yet posted the new council
woman
> Kit Crane's email. Perhaps her phone number is in the phonebook?
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> 
> Garrett Clevenger
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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