Police Station
Minutes of a recent selectmen's meeting state that the estimated cost of a new police station looks to be about $500,000. Watch out, my friends! The "edifice complex" folks who hang out at town hall seem hell-bent on pushing through this project. They seem oblivious to what's going on in the economy, and to the real cuts that are inevitable in town government expenditures. Egremont needs some realistic budget assessments and decisions, and I'm not very confident that that's coming from our selectboard.
News about Egremont and what's going on there, with a particular focus on local government activities. Your comments on postings are strongly encouraged. This blog is intended to be a forum for ideas and thoughts from everyone.
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- Richard Allen
- I'm a retired New York City lawyer who tries to look to the future with an eye on the past, to apply cold hard reasoning to public issues and to stay true to the basic libertarian philosophy: If something doesn't affect my health or safety, don't legislate it; leave me alone and I'll leave you alone.
3 comments:
The idea of the police station is insane! It is unwarranted and unnecessary! It is financially irresponsable to say the least.
Look at the town's leaders. Take a good look. Herein lies the problem....again.
prn
Firstly, I welcome a "good look" by our citizens. As a Selectman I believe I work for the community and try to share ideas and information to learn its needs. It's important to have the input and feedback from all of our townspeople. I urge everyone to be involved and attend the Selectmen's Tuesday night (7 pm) meetings to keep our feet to the fire.
Secondly, while I am a strong supporter of our Police Department and recognize the need for more space (due largely to safety concerns), I am not yet convinced that the best solution is a new building as opposed to expanding the town hall. I believe it is the Selectboard's responsibility to investigate all options before presenting them to the town for a vote.
And... I'm in no rush. THE ECONOMY TELLS ME TO WAIT! We've lived this long with our space, another year won't hurt. Another year would let us be smarter and better informed. Certainly anyone reading Governor Patrick's bleak projections about revenues must agree this is no time to spend unwisely. I have no problem being fiscally conservative today (or most days). I think it is the responsible way to shepherd our town's finances. But, let me be clear... I am not against spending our funds for projects that have been fully vetted, are needed and benefit the entire community. Besides you, the voters, will make the final decision. It is our job to bring you the best information and options to decide on. But when it comes to spending, it's all about timing.
I am one of three Selectmen. You may agree with me or not. It is important that our citizens have their voices heard. YOU have to have your voice heard and need to hear the discussions. Please come to our meetings, LISTEN AND ASK QUESTIONS. Challenge us. We work FOR you.
Thanks for listening. Have a happy, healthy and hopefully more prosperous New Year. -Bruce 644-9934
The police department activity statistics do not support this expenditure. The department has three police vehicles they do not use except for stationary radar. The number of arrests is very small. The space devoted to a booking/processing area, interview rooms, etc. would be wasted space and money. Most area departments this size and larger are located in their town hall or offices and make due. I think any police department expenditure should be focused on pay and training for the officers. What good is a police station if this department cannot maintain its staffing level to use it. I think the usual confusion regarding priorities is present here. Chief Bucknell wants to be separate from the offices so she can continue her incompetent actions away from prying eyes and be even less accountable that ever.
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