COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
This Community Partnership Agreement has been developed on
the advice of and with the leadership of Oscar's, Inc., d/b/a
Oscar's II Restaurant and Lounge, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the
Miller Park Neighborhood Association, the Seattle Police Department
and the Washington State Liquor Control Board and with the assistance
of the Seattle Neighborhood Group. The purpose of this Agreement
is to address strategies for deterring crime and enhancing the
community's sense of safety in the neighborhood surrounding 21st
and Madison, and to assist Oscar's, Inc. in establishing itself
as an attractive, safe and pleasant destination for music and
dining.
The working group has met five times between May 18, 1999 and
June 21, 1999. The result of these meetings is this Community
Partnership Agreement. Each of the partners agrees to take immediate
steps to address community problems and to work cooperatively
toward long-term solutions.
Goals of Agreement
The goals of this agreement are to:
- To set goals and conditions for the safe and effective operation
of Oscar's II;
- To reduce crime and the perception of criminal activity in
the Madison street corridor between 20th and 21st Avenues and
Madison Street;
- Encourage the neighbors, the businesses, the churches and
the police to work to create open communication and understanding;
- Discourage street drinking, suspected drug dealing and drug
use;
- Encourage and assist the Seattle Police Department in establishing
a greater police presence, including regular foot and/or bicycle
patrols in the Madison area.
Participants
Oscar's, Inc., d/b/a Oscar's II;
Oscar's, Inc. agrees that:
- All employees must have valid identification and Oscar's,
Inc. must request a Police Department criminal records check
of all employees. It is Oscar's, Inc.'s responsibility to obtain
authorization of employees or prospective employees and to contact
the Seattle Police Department Records Division on the Fourth
Floor of the Public Safety Building to obtain this information.
Oscar's may temporarily employ personnel contingent on a successful
records check. It is the Seattle Police Department's responsibility
to process the records check and respond within ten days. Employees
of Oscar's II may not have any drug felony or serious violent
offense convictions as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 (18) (including
RCW 69.50.401(d)), (23), (27)(b) or (31) within five years of
application for employment at Oscar's II. The preceding definition
of "serious violent offense" will include all felony
convictions for crimes against persons not otherwise included
in 9.94A.030.
- Oscar's, Inc. will employ two or more properly bonded and
licensed security personnel during times when evening added activities
or special events are offered. Security personnel must wear clothing
that clearly identifies them as security. Security personnel
shall be responsible for watching for potential criminal and
drug activity within the business or parking lot of Oscar's II,
and shall call 911 to report potential criminal or narcotics
activity observed inside or directly outside of Oscar's, including
its parking lot. Security shall screen customers using the walk-through
metal detector during evening added activities.
- Bathrooms must be randomly spot checked by security personnel
or staff during business hours.
- Oscar's, Inc. will enter into and maintain an updated criminal
trespass agreement with the Seattle Police Department to prevent
persons from loitering on the property, including Oscar's II's
parking lot. Oscarís, Inc. shall maintain a criminal trespass
list of persons who have been trespassed and are not authorized
to be inside Oscar's II or in the parking lot. This list will
be made readily available for review by police officers upon
request.
- Oscar's, Inc. will install either a functional or dummy video
surveillance camera inside of Oscar's II.
- Oscar's, Inc. will post a sign near the entrances to Oscar's
II stating "No loitering. No drug activity allowed-911 will
be called."
- Oscar's, Inc. will restrict payphones to customer and employee
use, and payphones will not accept incoming calls.
- If Oscar's, Inc. charges a fee to enter Oscar's II during
evening added activities, then customers will be restricted in
the number of times they are allowed to enter and leave the establishment.
Customers will be permitted to enter the club and re-enter twice.
Customers who attempt to re-enter a third time will be barred
from the premises for the duration of the evening.
- Oscar's, Inc. agrees to install an alarmed emergency exit
bar across the back door of the establishment, and to use the
back door as an emergency exit after 9:00 p.m.
- A management representative of Oscar's, Inc. will meet on
a monthly basis with a designated representative of the Seattle
Police Department.
Additionally, Oscar's, Inc. agrees to:
- Upgrade the exterior of the business, including pressure-washing
and painting exterior surfaces and awnings;
- Upgrade the interior of the business to increase the amount
of incoming light and emphasize the restaurant portion of the
premises;
- Re-establish its reputation for family dining by expanding
its menu to include weekend brunch buffets;
- Offer discounts for senior citizens and children five and
under;
- Coordinate with Mt. Zion to host Sunday gospel programs;
- Attempt to position the business as a destination for jazz,
blues and R&B
- music; and
- Participate in the establishment and operation of the Madison
Improvement Association.
Miller Park Neighborhood Association
The Miller Park Neighborhood Association and its members agree
to:
- Sample the new menu at Oscar's II and encourage their friends
and neighbors to do so;
- Make friends and neighbors aware of the blues, gospel and
jazz offered at Oscar's;
- Continue to work to enhance the streetscape along Madison
to make it a more inviting environment for customers of Oscar's;
- Work with the Madison Improvement Association and Mt. Zion
Baptist Church on street cleaning.
- Continue to encourage the Seattle Police Department to patrol
the area on a regular basis, with special emphasis on maintaining
a safe, quiet environment at closing time.
- Participate in a Neighborhood Watch program, to document
ongoing activity and potential problems in the area surrounding
21st and East Madison Street. Make the Police and Oscar's aware
of potential problems.
- Facilitate the establishment of the Madison Improvement Association.
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Deacon John A. Capps agree to:
- Host Gospel programs at Oscar's II on Sundays and offer Gospel
music on Sunday afternoons;
- Encourage senior citizens to patronize Oscar's II for Saturday
and Sunday brunches;
- Offer advice to Oscar's II to further improve market share;
- Offer consultation and feedback on the operation of Oscar's
and improvement of the facility;
- Participate in the Madison Improvement Association;
- Encourage participation in the Central Area Chamber of Commerce.
- Work with the Miller Park Neighborhood Association and Madison
Improvement Association on street cleanup.
The Seattle Police Department
The Seattle Police Department Agrees to:
- Maintain an open dialogue with Oscar's Inc. and the Community
regarding pertinent issues.
- Meet with Oscar's Inc. on a monthly basis to discuss common
issues and concerns.
- To process Criminal History Checks within ten days per Department
Policy and Procedures.
- To provide requested training in the areas of security and
narcotic detection.
- Patrol the area on a regular basis , as resources allow.
- Facilitate trespass/exclusion agreements for inappropriate
and illegal activity.
The Seattle Neighborhood Group
The Seattle Neighborhood Group agrees to:
- Facilitate future community meetings regarding the Cooperative
Partnership Agreement on an as-needed basis; and
- Assist with organizing the Madison Improvement Association.
All parties to this document agree that they will:
- Meet regularly, as agreed upon, to share information as appropriate
or as available and participate in crime prevention programs;
- Review this agreement initially nine months after signing,
and then again in three months.
Closing
All participants are committed to improving the livability
of the area and maintaining a safe and healthy place to recreate
and socialize. It is to this end that all participants signing
below enter into this Community Partnership Agreement. All participants
understand that this agreement is not a legally binding contract
and that it is not intended to be by the participants. Further,
all participants acknowledge that they have been advised and given
time to present this document to independent counsel for review.
Signature of participating parties
By their signature, the following parties agree to abide by
this Community Partnership Agreement:
