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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW New Valley radio station covers Ashland area ... Driver dead in single-vehicle crash near Ashland ... Old buildings, new buildings and public art on agendas ... New Valley radio station covers Ashland area ... Driver dead in single-vehicle crash near Ashland ... Old buildings, new buildings and public art on agendas ... PUBLIC SAFETY Chamber hosts review of downtown intiatives Steps range from ordinances to behavioral task force to security measures Comment By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 8:52 PM Updated Jun 15, 2016 at 8:53 PM By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 8:52 PM Updated Jun 15, 2016 at 8:53 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Council Corner: My ride-along with officer Caswell • No smoking ordinance takes effect Friday • Homeless have their say about new ordinances • Streets Report: 16 steps city is taking to address situation on Ashland streets... » Social News An educational workshop on safety and security was held Wednesday to clarify a list of new Ashland ordinances. “There’s been a lot of behavioral issues that have happened in the downtown area that many of the businesses have wondered ‘what does the law mean for this?’” said Dana Preston, membership development manager for the Ashland Chamber of Commerce, “and that’s why the city council passed the new ordinances that were addressed (Wednesday at the Ashland Community Center).” Sandra Slattery, executive director of the chamber, started off the workshop by addressing some of the problems downtown that prompted the new ordinances. She also spoke about a new organization created by the Chamber of Commerce, “Change with a Purpose.” The organization is a behavior task force focused on downtown Ashland. The main purpose of the organization is to sway people from giving money directly to beggars and instead donating to organizations that directly help the needy. These organizations include the Ashland Emergency Food Bank and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. “The idea is to encourage our visitors to not give money to people on the street,” said Slattery. “But if they want to give money, to give it to organizations that can really help people.” Ashland Chief of Police Tighe O’Meara was on hand to explain the new ordinances recently passed by the city. A ban on smoking and vaping tobacco was put in place June 3. Smoking is not allowed in any park or within 10 feet of a downtown public sidewalk. It is illegal to smoke marijuana in public, according to Oregon state law. Another new ordinance makes it illegal to obstruct a passageway or curb area where it is not legal to park for more than five minutes or “a reasonable amount of time.” An “intrusive solicitation” ordinance makes it illegal to ask for money within 20 feet of an ATM or entrance to a bank. It is also illegal to ask for money from anyone dining in a restaurant, even if dining outside. “Oregon has robust laws in place to protect freedom of speech,” said O’Meara. “We can’t make begging for money illegal, because it is considered freedom of speech.” An enhanced law enforcement area in place in Ashland for years allows police to expel people from downtown (except for specific reasons, such as attending church and employment) if the individual has been found to have committed multiple violations of downtown rules, including smoking, trespassing, dogs without licenses, etc. The central area patrol (CAP) will now operate in downtown Ashland seven days a week with the addition of a new officer, Jason Billings, beginning in a few weeks. “A CAP officer is someone who is assigned full-time to patrol downtown since it’s such a high-density area,” said O’Meara. O’Meara ended his discussion with a reminder of the importance of calling in negative behavior immediately. The police records calls as a way of measuring the amount of violations taking place in town and as a way to gain support from the City Council, according to O’Meara. For non-emergencies, call 541-482-5211 to reach the police department for a business related issue, or 911 in an emergency, or 541-770-4784 to directly reach the police dispatch center in Central Point. The event ended with a discussion by APD Crime Prevention Specialist Ron Kohl. He reminded business owners to check both external and internal security measures. “If someone wants to get in, they’re going to get in,” said Kohl. “But there are ways to try and prevent that.” Kohl explained that some people never realize all the access points of their building because they might never have been on the roof, or perhaps there’s vegetation blocking a security camera. Kohl offers a free survey of businesses and residential homes. He’ll not only survey the perimeter and interior, but also discuss a personalized way of security for businesses, such as handling money, backing up data on a computer and handling deliveries. Kohl can be reached at 541-482-5211. Email Tidings intern Caitlin Fowlkes at [email protected]. By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 8:52 PM Updated Jun 15, 2016 at 8:53 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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