Outcome
City Council Decision
June 10
Current Status
The proposal to install unobservable vehicle detection systems (UVDS) in Berkeley cars has passed two votes in the City Council (see below) and is currently being considered by the City Manager as part of the Fiscal 2007 budget process. On each of the votes the proposal has passed on an 8 to 1 vote with Donna Spring dissenting in each case.
Support for the proposal has come from many people in the Berkeley community. On Kitchen Democracy, Fifty nine people voiced support for the proposal during the voting period. Twenty people voiced opposition to it and many of their comments contained very good ideas that have been incorporated into the concept going forward. In addition letters of support for the concept of UVDS have been approved by three neighborhood associations; Claremont Elmwood NA, Willard NA and Le Conte NA. Those letters have been forwarded to the City Council and Mayors office.
The UVDS proposal was discussed as part of the public comment phase of the City Council's workshop on crime prevention, June 13. The Kitchen Democracy poll results were also presented to the Council during the workshop.
Finding the funding for the project within the budget process has been a major stumbling block to full implementation. Councilmember Wozniak and Mayor Bates office are working to develop a pilot program that can be implemented at very low cost to the City of Berkeley and yet will provide reliable data on the effectiveness of the UVDS.
The project is currently undergoing further refinement. The logistics for implementation of the project and the identification of pilot program costs is being reviewed and it is hoped that the pilot project will be ready for review and approval in January 2007 as part of the mid-year budget process.
City Council actions
April 18 Council meeting Item 34 - Recommendation: Refer to the City Manager and the budget process a five part plan to reduce auto theft that is detailed in the attached proposal by Vincent Casalaina. The adoption and funding of this plan will be considered as part of the FY07 budget process. The target date for implementation is July 1, 2006.
Action: Moved, seconded, carried (Worthington/Maio) to hold over to the budget meeting on May 16, 2006.
May 16 Council meeting Item 43 - Recommendation: Refer to the City Manager and the budget process a five part plan to reduce auto theft that is detailed in the attached proposal by Vincent Casalaina. The adoption and funding of this plan will be considered as part of the FY07 budget process. The target date for implementation is July 1, 2006.
Action: Moved to Consent by Olds. Approved recommendation (NoesSpring).