416 N Franklin Street
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Phone: (707) 961-2823
Fax: (707) 961-2802
City of Fort Bragg
Meeting Minutes
Public Safety Committee
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 3:00 PM Town Hall, 363 N. Main Street
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Acting Chair Peters opened the meeting at 3:00 PM.
ROLL CALL
Present are Acting Chair Lindy Peters and Mayor Jason Godeke.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1A. 24-1101 Approve Minutes of the Public Safety Committee Meeting December 18, 2024.
Acting Chair Peters approved the minutes as presented.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Public Comments made by:
Jacob Patterson
Jenny Shattuck
3. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
3A. 24-1096 Discussion regarding Suicide Deterrent Net on Noyo River Bridge.
Acting Chair Peters began the discussion by introducing the agenda item and providing a background to why this agenda item was brought forward to discuss. The reason was mainly due to a recent tragic suicide event that occurred on the Noyo Bridge. Peters continued by providing a brief history of the current Noyo Bridge.
Police Chief Cervenka reported the number of the calls for services that the Fort Bragg Police Department had responded to the Noyo Bridge since 2011. He states that there have been fifteen calls for services for people having suicidal ideations and threatening to jump over the bridge, along with an additional six calls for services for people that did follow through with their threat and jumped over the bridge. Chief Cervenka made the remark that in addition to suicide concerns, there is also main concerns of pedestrians throwing objects as large as bicycles over the bridge onto the boats below and causing physical and material damages.
Chief Cervenka continued to provide a background regarding the Noyo Bridge. He mentions that the completion of the current bridge occurred in 2005 and it was the first bridge with scenic viewing rails that was built by the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS). He reports that the rails are 42 inches in height, and the bridge is 110 feet above the surface of the City of Fort Bragg Page 1 Printed on 2/14/2025
Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes January 15, 2025 water at low tide. Lastly Chief Cervenka comments that according to studies done in England, any falls over 90 feet are almost certainly fatal.
Chief Cervenka continued to explain the suicide net that was installed on the Golden Gate Bridge. He discloses that the cost of the net on the Golden Gate Bridge was $224 million dollars and took 10 years to complete. The net has been effective in reducing the number of deaths from people committing suicide along with reducing the number of people attempting to jump off the bridge. The net was built 20 feet below the deck and 20 feet out from the bridge. The net is made out of stainless steel, which is why it was so costly. This was primarily due to the climate in the Bay Area and wanting to prevent the net from rusting sooner along with cutting maintenance cost and time. The concept behind the net on the Golden Gate Bridge was that if somebody were to attempt to jump off and land on the net, it would cause pain and injury but would save a life.
Police Chief Cervenka went on to explain the problems that the City of Fort Bragg encounters regarding making modification to the Noyo Bridge. One of the several problems the City of Fort Bragg is facing is that the Noyo Bridge belongs to CALTRANS. The City of the Fort Bragg doesn't have any control over the bridge. In the past, the City has made requests to place pieces of equipment or signage by or on the bridge and has been denied permission due to allocated maintenance costs for CALTRANS, along with other rules and regulations they have in place.
Chief Cervenka explains that as far as requesting the City of Fort Bragg to place a net on the Noyo Bridge is not possible since the bridge belongs to CALTRANS. Another problem to consider is that there will be additional training and costs placed on our local Fire Department to have the ability to retrieve a person from the net. Lastly, it will take years to build the net and ultimately it will be a decision made by CALTRANS.
Police Chief briefly mentioned that he will be holding a meeting the following day with Assemblymember Chris Rogers, Sentor Mike McGuire, and CALTRANS Supervisor for the northern section regarding this crucial topic. Acting Chair Peters commented that there has to be other options to alert the public that are having suicidal thoughts that they can seek help, so that they do not commit the hurtful act. Chief Cervenka stated that they are looking at other possible options in case CALTRANS does not approve any construction or modifications on the Noyo Bridge.
Public comments made by:
Andy Wellspring
Jenny Shattuck
Jacob Patterson
Frank Hartzell
Gowan from Mountain Lion Foundation
Judy Valadao
GrassRoots Institute of Mendocino County
Acting Chair Peters closed his remarks by stating that anything we choose to commit to will take time. He understands the frustration from the community that nothing can be done immediately or without CALTRANS permission. Acting Chair Peters stated that this agenda item was important to him as well to others to in the community and he is glad the committee is taking part City of Fort Bragg Page 2 Printed on 2/14/2025
Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes January 15, 2025 in listening, planning and communicating what can be done. Mayor Jason Godeke stated that he appreciates the community input and also for getting a petition started to get the state representatives attention to place some sort of pressure on them to assist with CALTRANS placing some kind of deterrence.
Chief Cervenka ended the conversation with clarifying some questions and concerns from the public comments made previously.
3B. 24-1097 Update on Fentanyl Task Force
Police Captain O'Neal began by the stating the purpose of the agenda was to provide an update for the public on the Fentanyl Task Force as well as getting any feedback from the committee before presenting it to City Council.
Captain O'Neal continued to explain how and why the Fentanyl Task Force began. The main idea behind this was to get a diverse group of stakeholders together and subject matter experts that could come together and brainstorm ideas that would assist with the fentanyl crisis on the coast. There is currently 18 applicants who are on the Fentanyl Task Force that have meet within the last year. Within the Task Force there is three committees which are the Education Committee, Treatment Access Committee, and Youth In Patient Center Committee.
Acting Chair Peters stated that he is glad to see this task force continuing and going strong, so that the fentanyl crisis can be reduced. Mayor Godeke offered his help and also made it clear that if the task force needed more funds he was willing to listen because he wants to contribute to this matter.
Public Comments made by:
Jenny Shattuck
3C. 24-1098 Receive Report on Limits of Immigration Enforcement by the Fort Bragg Police Department
Police Chief Cervenka began by stating that many community members have expressed their concerns after the election results, along with all the comments made during the political campaigns regarding immigration actions that were going to occur. Chief Cervenka clarified that the Sate of California has laws in place that restrict law enforcement agencies from participating with I.C.E activities. The laws that restrict law enforcement involvement with federal operations are the: 2013 AB 4 TRUST Act, 2016 AB 2792 TRUTH Act, and the 2017 SB 54 VALUES Act.
He continues to summarize each law and what it means for the undocumented community.
Lastly, Chief Cervenka specified that the Police Department has Policy 416 that prohibits officers from inquiring the immigrations status from an individual solely for immigration enforcement purposes.
Chief Cervenka went on to inform the committee that the Police Department created an informative video in Spanish for the population that needed this information the most. Chief City of Fort Bragg Page 3 Printed on 2/14/2025
Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes January 15, 2025 Cervenka ended with stating that his vision for the video was to diminish the fear of the undocumented community from in calling the Police Department and reporting crimes due to immigration repercussions.
4. MATTERS FROM COMMITTEE / STAFF
4A. 24-1119 Receive Oral Update From Staff on Departmental Activities Fire Chief Orsi briefly commented and provided an update on the Fire Department.
ADJOURNMENT
Acting Chair Peters adjourned the meeting at 4:25 PM.
City of Fort Bragg Page 4 Printed on 2/14/2025