The potential to use traffic surveillance cameras for federal immigration enforcement operations was the main topic for public comments during the Feb. 5 Glenwood Springs City Council meeting.
Six of the seven council members were present for the first regular meeting of the month; Councilor Mitchell Weimer was absent.
Following a late afternoon work session meant to gather information from the police department and discuss the City’s use of Flock Safety cameras, the council heard from four residents during the public comments portion of the meeting. They all shared concerns about the potential to use the data collected by the surveillance system in some of the questionable U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that have resulted in protests and led to violence across the country.
Were there not a “pressing reason” to shut down the system immediately, Glenwood resident Mia Hunt said the City could take its time to address public concerns.
“But there’s already proof of concept, and it’s unfolding right in front of us,” Hunt said. “They’re being used to track people down and do things that are against the community values that we have.”
Given concerns about racial profiling tactics and a disregard for due process, it’s no longer just an issue of immigration enforcement, added Dawn Dexter, who also spoke before the council. She also asked that the City immediately cease its use of the Flock system, including for speeding enforcement.
“Yes, traffic safety measures are important, but they should not come at the cost of civil liberties, political freedom or racial justice,” Dexter said.
Deputy Chief of Police John Hassel said speeding enforcement and data collection for other law enforcement and public safety purposes function independently within the Flock system.
During the afternoon work session, and again during the regular session, Hassel shared that the cameras have been used by the City for the past three years for a variety of things. That includes gathering data related to Amber and Silver alerts for missing children and elderly people, and solving crimes, he said.
The cameras read license plates and can interface with other law enforcement agencies, he said. The program is budgeted for another $58,000 this year.
Some changes in how the information is used and who it’s shared with have already come, Hassel said. In October of last year, the City revoked ready access for all out-of-state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“Now, if anyone from the outside is accessing it, it’s because we gave permission,” he said.
Council members offered assurances that the City is trying to find a balance between public safety, security and privacy. Proposed contract changes will be addressed at a future meeting.
“Let’s not jump to conflate that what we’re doing for public safety is to condone what’s happening nationally,” Councilor Sumner Schachter said.
South Bridge
Following unanimous approval of the consent agenda, appointments of Planning and Zoning Commission members, a presentation from Colorado wildlife officials about invasive zebra mussels, and approval of water service to a property outside City limits in West Glenwood, the council took another step toward construction of the South Bridge project.
A formal Request for Qualifications to hire outside construction management and engineering consultants was awarded to two firms, RockSol Consulting and SGM engineers.
The bid award does not commit the City to proceeding with the project, which is still several million dollars short of fully funding the estimated $80 million project.
The planned new bridge over the Roaring Fork River would provide a southern connection between the area near the municipal airport and Highway 82.
What this latest action does is provide the City with professional services to shepherd the project through the bidding and pre-construction phase to a construction bid award, City Engineer Ryan Gordon explained.
That initial phase of preparation work is expected to cost between $50,000 and $100,000, he said.
One pre-construction task is to further identify cost savings within the project that could bring it closer to reality, he added. The project budget includes a $49.6 million federal grant.
Gordon said the hope is still to award a construction bid over the summer and break ground by September.
The contract award was approved 5-1.
Two other projects
Also approved were construction bids for two public works projects that are expected to commence in the coming weeks.
The first was a $2.1 million award to Timberwolf Excavating for the reconstruction of Coach Miller Drive and 14th Street near Glenwood Springs High School.
The second was a $2.8 million award to Gould Construction for a new shared-use pedestrian and bike path along Highway 6 & 24 near the turnoff to Two Rivers Park.
Both bid awards were approved unanimously.