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Home My WebLink About2022-01-24 - Minutes -CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS MEETING MINUTES TOWN AND GOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE January 24, 2022 1 3:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Via Zoom The public is invited to provide comment on Committee agenda items and during general public comment as well. Members: CITY COUNCIL & COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENTATIVES • Mark Kinion City Council Member • Zane Colvin U of A Student - Off Campus • Alexandria Howland Community Citizen at Large • Annie Dowling Community Citizen at Large • Megan Duncan Associate Superintendent of 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 Assistant Vice Chancellor, University Relations • Scott Turley Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities • Coleman Warren President, Associated Student Government • Katherine Dzurilla President, Graduate Professional Student Congress Meeting Video: https://accessfavetteville.-granicus.com/plaver/clip/7935?view id=14&redirect=true 1. Call to Order Norton called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call In attendance: Mark Kinion, Zane Colvin, Alexandria Howland, Megan Duncan, Susan Norton, Lisa Thurber, Jonathan Curth, Laura Jacobs, Scott Turley, Coleman Warren, Katherine Dzurilla, Mark Rushing, Annie Dowling Absent: none 3. Approval of Minutes Jonathan Curth moved and Coleman Warren seconded approval of the Oct. 18, 2021 meeting minutes. The minutes were unanimously approved. 4. Approval of Meeting's Agenda Laura Jacobs moved and Scott Turley seconded approval of the Jan. 24, 2022 meeting agenda. The agenda was unanimously approved. Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville, AR 72701 5. Old Business a. Update on speed limit reductions: Chris Brown, City of Fayetteville Public Works Director shared that all sign changes from 25 mph to 20 mph will be complete over the next 12 months. He noted that public works staff are also looking at other areas of town where speed limits need to change and showed a City GIS map indicating where speed limit changes are currently planned. Several streets in the Town and Gown area are scheduled for speed reductions, and no streets in the area are scheduled for speed increases. Annie Dowling asked if the intersection of Maple and Highland is included in the Town and Gown area; Norton advised that it may be out of the area but still scheduled for speed reduction. Brown confirmed that this intersection will be included in the 25 to 20 mph reduction. Dowling asked what plans are in place for enforcement; Brown advised that enforcement across the entire city is a challenge and often complaint drive, though police sometimes focus on areas like school zones as a higher priority for awareness and education. Jacobs asked if other plans exist for communications, particularly that might reach off -campus students; Norton stated that signage changes would likely trigger updates to the community, and an overall announcement has been shared. Norton also mentioned that coordination with UA Newswire might be worthwhile to help reach off -campus students. Turley indicated that all streets around campus are shifting to 20 mph as well; his team is working in conjunction with Brown's team on overlapping areas that need signage changes. Dowling asked someone should contact the parking office to have information added to forms; Jacobs offered to make that connection. Alexandria Howland if speed limits are enforced prior to or after signage changes on streets where speed limits are changing; Brown advised that if no street sign is present, the effective speed limit is now 20 mph and would be enforced. If a sign has not been changed, then the existing posted speed limit is what will be enforced until a new speed limit sign is posted. 6. New Business a. Trail and stream cleanup collaboration: Norton said that keeping trails and streams through the Town and Gown area and across Fayetteville is an ongoing concern, and that this concern includes unsheltered persons. A pre-COVID collaborative effort has been revived and includes the City, University of Arkansas and many area service providers to help address this issue proactively. Jacobs added that sustainable solutions moving forward are required both in Fayetteville and regionally as it relates to addressing the needs of the unsheltered. She emphasized the need for collaborative approaches with area organizations. Alison Jumper, Parks, Culture and Natural Resources Director is the City's representative with the NWA Continuum of Care group and has been working to pull together City and University resources to help with trail and stream cleanup efforts. Initial cleanup efforts were held jointly between the University and the City, and it included 20 community volunteers; this work focused on creek banks along the Town Branch Trail between South School/71 and 15' Street. Proactive future efforts will help prevent build-up of trash in this high -traffic area. Norton indicated that a Standard Operating Procedure document and communication to the public are important pieces of the working plan moving forward. Dowling asked how to find out about future volunteer opportunities for cleanups; Jumper said that volunteer opportunities can be found on the City's social media as well as Volunteer Pulse through the University. Howland expressed appreciation for the cleanup work and encouraged everyone who uses the trail to try to pick up small amounts of trash, if they are able when using the trail, to help out. b. Covid-19 programs and protocols update Norton announced that the City's vaccine incentive program has been reinstated; this offers $100 to people who live, work or go to school in Fayetteville who have become fully vaccinated between January 18 and March 18, 2022. The program will be administered the same as it was during it's previous run in fall 2021. Norton advised that City Council passed a mask ordinance through March 2, 2022, and masks are required in City facilities. Jacobs announced that the University has classroom masking rules; hand sanitizer and masks are supplied inside all buildings; a walk-up testing clinic is available Monday — Friday through Feb. 18 outside of the Student Union; ASG also has a vaccination clinic on Jan. 25 in the Student Union/Verizon Ballroom. Jacobs noted that the University is in the 601" to 70t" percentile of vaccinated communities according to Arkansas Department of Health numbers. Lisa Thurber noted that a CDC testing effort will run for 21 days at the Washington County Fairgrounds beginning Feb. 2, 2022; CDCs capacity is 1,000 tests per day; this is provided in conjunction with the NWA Council. Dr. Megan Duncan advised that masks are still required in Fayetteville Public Schools; FPS is also holding vaccination clinics; social distancing and other preventative measure are still being observed; 7. Public Comment/Other Discussion a. Crosswalk Safety Annie Dowling updated the group on materials available for National Pedestrian Safety Month, including resource guides and campaign planning materials from the National Highway Safety Administration. She indicated an interest in City and University working to share safety messaging for safety month in 2022. Norton asked Duncan if FPS has an awareness period for school zone safety; Duncan advised that an annual back to school campaign plus one on one conversations are typical for FPS. Dowling referenced past grass -roots efforts around pedestrian safety but indicated that a more concerted approach would be valuable for improved safety in the community. 8. Adjourn Norton adjourned the meeting at approximately 4:43 p.m. The Q2 Town and Gown Committee meeting will take place on April 25, 2022.