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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, August 26, 2019 <br /> Page 14 <br /> Chief Mathwig indicated a lot of the calls the Police Department gets are from <br /> management about disorderly conduct, etc. but the vast majority of calls are from <br /> the people who are staying there, stopping by there, and driving by there as well. <br /> He noted several years ago, two hotel/motel employees of a current owner at two <br /> properties called in about a predatory criminal sexual conduct incident. After the <br /> call, the two employees were fired by the owner. He explained that property <br /> owner still owns two hotels in Roseville. <br /> City Attorney Gaughan explained a crucial part of this proposed framework is the <br /> city does have a hefty fee for commercial properties, particularly commercial <br /> lodging properties, which he believed was reflected with elevated, unnecessary <br /> officer time for a repeat nuisance. However, in this proposal there is a mechanism <br /> through which these properties can avoid payment of such fees if the property <br /> owner entered into an understanding with Roseville Police Department, to under- <br /> take certain measures and make sure the behavior stops. That is going to include, <br /> most often, training of staff on calling for assistance and other measures such as <br /> better lighting in parking lot areas, on duty officers, and the like. That was a con- <br /> cern that Mr. Trudgeon and he talked about because staff does not want these <br /> calls to go underground. <br /> City Attorney Gaughan indicated this proposal is a menu of not great options. <br /> This is probably one of the better ones that the city can have access to because <br /> what the city is trying to do is get more cooperation from some of these proper- <br /> ties. The city recognizes there is a drain on the officers going back to the same <br /> properties over and over again but understands there are on-going problems and <br /> do not want to add to the problem. <br /> Mr. Trudgeon indicated the city has eleven hotels that are great business partners <br /> in the community and serve the city well. The city has a great relationship with a <br /> majority of them, will continue to have that, and those hotels work very closely <br /> with the Police Department and city staff. However, there are several hotels that <br /> continue to have criminal and nuisance activities occur on a regular basis. City <br /> staff is trying to deal with some of those actions and assure hotel operators are <br /> held accountable to make sure the hotel/motel is a safe and sanitary place. <br /> Councilmember Etten explained this has been talked about since he was on the <br /> HRA and he thanked staff for bringing this forward with some teeth. He appreci- <br /> ated staff working on this and working with the county on this as part of the city's <br /> legislative priorities. He asked how the fee process would work. <br /> Mr. Trudgeon indicated the city staff would be communicating with the owner up <br /> to the fee threshold and after that, notifying them the threshold has been exceeded <br /> and charge the $2,500 fee. He noted the fee would be cumulative. He explained <br /> there is also an appeals process as well. <br />