Council reviews draft Safe and Secure Facility policy; staff to refine and return

At the Feb. 10 work session the East Bethel City Council reviewed a draft Safe and Secure Facility Policy that would standardize access and security across city facilities, and the council directed staff to bring a revised version back for formal consideration.

Gary, who presented the draft, said the city will install a new access control system in March and that the policy would address who receives access codes, visitor accompaniment, emergency response and unlawful possession of weapons. "Although the city cannot prohibit members of the public from possessing a weapon on public property, appropriate precautions can be taken," Gary said while explaining the policy’s approach to weapons and access.

The draft also plans to replace the current mix of cipher locks and keys with a single card‑based access system and to add cameras to help identify thefts such as a recent dumpster theft. The presenter said authorized facilities for the new system include the fire stations, the ice rink, the Whispering Aspen facility and the city facility in use at the meeting.

Council members requested specific clarifications before formal adoption: revising the wording in Section 10B to say retired personnel "will not" have access to the app (rather than "should not"), activating a referenced 9‑1‑1 app entry, and clarifying the treatment of auxiliary volunteer groups such as the fire department auxiliary. Staff said the auxiliary language was adapted from a similar Andover policy and that the city could refine language or add other exceptions as needed.

Councilmembers supported several changes to tighten liability protections (for example, locking procedures and accountability for devices and information) and asked staff to return the policy to the next council meeting with the agreed edits. Staff also said the new system will maintain an access log tied to individual cards, which staff said could help track unauthorized entry.