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Home My WebLink About2024-01-22 - Minutes - TOWN AND GOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Jan. 22, 2024 | 3:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Via Zoom Members: CITY COUNCIL & COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENTATIVES • Teresa Turk City Council Member • Brandon Gibbons U of A Student - Off Campus • Jack Avery Community Citizen at Large • Annie Dowling Community Citizen at Large • Alan Wilbourn Exec. Dir. Of Communications, Fayetteville Public Schools CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE STAFF REPRESENTATIVES • Susan Norton Chief of Staff Committee Co-Chair • Lisa Thurber Director of Communications and Marketing • Jonathan Curth Director of Development Services STAFF RESOURCES WILL BE CALLED UPON AS NEEDED UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS REPRESENTATIVES • Laura Jacobs Chief of Staff/Committee Co- Chair • Mark Rushing Associate Vice Chancellor, University Relations • Scott Turley Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities • Cael Losenegger President, Associated Student Government • Kolade Olatunde President, Graduate Professional Student Congress Meeting Video: https://reflect-fayetteville-ar.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/8182?site=1 1. Call to Order Norton called the meeting to order at 3 p.m. 2. Roll Call In attendance: Teresa Turk, Jack Avery, Annie Dowling, Susan Norton, Lisa Thurber, Jonathan Curth, Laura Jacobs, Mark Rushing, Scott Turley, Cale Losenegger, Kolade Olatunde Absent: Brandon Gibbons, Alan Wilbourn 3. Approval of Minutes Jacobs moved and Turley seconded approval of the Oct. 23, 2023 meeting minutes. The minutes were unanimously approved. 4. Approval of Meeting Agenda No additions were requested, and the agenda was approved as presented by committee consensus. 5. Old Business: None MEETING MINUTES 2 6. New Business a. Training and education measures to curb underage drinking Lieutenant Jason French, Fayetteville Police Department, noted that FPD has noticed an increase in underage patrons consuming alcohol at local establishments. To help address this increase, FPD has met with business owners and their staff, nearly 200 people, to discuss how to identify underage drinkers and the prevalence of fraudulent identification. French reported that so far, FPD has primarily targeted individual offenders via citations; when these are University students, offenders are referred to the University’s conduct process. Jacobs added that the conduct process holds students accountable for not meeting standards set forth by the University. Jacobs noted that drug and alcohol training is required for all new students. French indicated that most fraudulent IDs are provided by online vendors. He also confirmed collaboration between FPD and UAPD in handling issues around student underage drinking. Cael added that the UA conduct process is focused more on education than penalty, and he appreciates that approach. Curth asked what penalties or fines the bar/restaurant owners might be subject to if found to be serving underage patrons. French explained that they are subject to penalties from the City and the State. However, identification scanners recommended by the Arkansas ABC Board often are unable to detect fraudulent IDs; this is why FPD is partnering with businesses to help them curtail underage drinkers without relying on the scanners. b. Safe Streets and Roads for All $25M grant Matt Mihalevich, City of Fayetteville Active Transportation Manager, gave an overview of a grant recently awarded to the City from the Department of Transportation, including timelines and budgets. The grant will help with safety improvements that may prevent deaths and serious injuries in the City’s most critical transportation corridors. He reviewed the projects identified for funding through the grant, explained criteria applied to select the projects, and reviewed highlights of each project. Some projects are further along than others, but all either have already received, or will receive, robust public input opportunities. The committee had a tangential discussion about “road diets” being considered through the City’s existing plans outside of the projects identified for funding with this grant. Dowling noted her work to improve pedestrian safety and her interest in connecting with Mihalevich for additional contacts. Dowling asked about police enforcement for speed limits and noted a recent news article about increased fatalities. Norton indicated that FPD reports regularly on accidents and fatalities, and she shared her concern about traffic safety. Jacobs asked for clarification on references in Mihalevich’s presentation to disadvantaged areas; Mihalevich explained that these are areas of socio-economic disadvantage where alternative transportation options are needed. He noted that the area just north of Maple Street, where many University students live, is one such area. Curth asked if a local match was required for the DoT grant; Mihalevich said that the City included a 25% local match in its application to be more competitive within the pool of applicants. Olatunde said that the work done through this grant will help make Fayetteville one of the best communities in the country and asked about implementation timeline and stakeholder feedback. Mihalevich said the timeline is 5 years, with projects currently being in different stages of progress; public input and community conversation has and 3 will be included in each of the projects. Rushing asked for clarification on a slide regarding Razorback Road and potential for “road diet.” Mihalevich explained that while certain roads are candidates, plans do not necessarily exist to implement lane reductions. Turk asked if the City has conducted a follow-up survey on Nelson Hackett Blvd., which saw a lane reduction/reconfiguration last year. Mihalevich indicated that such follow-up will take place; anecdotal comments from residents south of Nelson Hackett Blvd. have been positive. 7. Public Comment/Other Discussion: Turley asked Curth for an update on the 15th Street/Razorback Road project. Curth indicated he would follow up with Turley to provide more specific information. 8. Next Meeting and Adjourn The Q2 2024 Town and Gown Committee meeting will take place on April. 22, 2024, via Zoom. The meeting was adjourned at 3:48 p.m.