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| Cuts Made to Budget |
City council made some last minute cuts to the budget. Law enforcement was a priority and 5 positions were filled in the OPD. Mr. Nelson stated "law enforcement is more needed than ever," hopefully these new police officers will help curve the growing crime spree in Ogdensburg. There appears to be drug dealers in every neighborhood and houses are robbed daily. I have to agree with Mr. Nelson, we need to step up community safety. I cannot imagine the amount of OT the officers have racked up being down 7 FTEs.
The budget process is over. Our taxes will increase by 3%...therefore if one is not happy with the current budget they should express themselves on election day. On the contrary, those that support the budget should express themselves likewise.
Journal Article
6 comments:
The budget is sound but could have been much better.. This City Manager is under contract so pay him but when his contract is up we need someone new and cheaper. More bang for our bucks.. Some of the others like Woods need revamping of duties .. DPW does need new equipment more than we need five new cops.. Much to much time off for police and fire agencies. Much to much overtime caused by this time off.. What happens when drug busts take place and money and property is seized related to these arrests? Equipment ect for the cops in other words toys for boys... Let them support themselves and their equipment needs with this seizure money not just let them purchase extra stuff.. In some manner firemen need to pull eight hour shifts like everyone else not this forty eight on then five or six days off.. It certainly wouldnt hurt to try it.
Lets lay off the waterfront as a priority for a perioc of time and get some of these neighborhood built back up starting with Ford St.
This neighborhood watch thing is risky at least.. A group of citizens who mean well can be dangerous. A volunteer police force such as the Sheriff had back a few years ago using city police cars and answering minor calls and complaints might be looked at.. At least it would appear as police presence in certain neighborhoods.
During talks about neighborhood watch ask the officer her opinion of a volunteer police dept such as the sheriff had. Seems like a money saving issue. They did many duties that tied officers up. They cant make arrests but can help with traffic control, assist at emergencies, possibly write tickets for handicapped parking as the Sheriffs patrol did. The canidates should be screened properly and trained in whatever they do but it certainly would be worth looking at. The presence of police cars in the city would help.. Also the other day I witnessed a police patrol car in ABay and slowed down as everyone does. Not until I got bye it did I realize it was empty. Placed there for the purpose it acomplished... We need thinking like that..
I still maintain there is too many frills around the Burg. The Manager form of Government must be reviewed seriously. This man makes way too much money for this area. We are a city of less than ten thousandand we will decline more in the next five years Prisons are downsizing and if anybody is hoping it will not affect the two we have your living in a dream world or your Michael Powers. I dont have answers and if I did they would only be my opinion so we need to support this blog anom or not and tell it like it is.. It does help as our council and manager do read this. Sooner or later the citizens will choose to retake the city and start attending meetings....
The Oxley Jury has been out quite a while... HUng Jury
It could be hung!
While i have been critical at times of the decisions THIS move to put a VISIBLE face of the POLICE on the streets is a good move . IT will be a GREAT move if very tough goals are set relative to reducing crime of ALL types for the department .
They should revise Mayor Guiliani's and Chief Mel Bratton's tactics called "the Broken Window " Theory of policing neighborhoods THAT CLEANED CRIME UP NYC and made the city safe for neighborhoods . Harlem are other formerly crime -addled neighborhoods have now been regentrified and the housing stock if full of people making great money and paying strong amts of property tax back on the tax roles .
The tool to EMPLOY is the COMPSTAT approach to identifying patterns , times locations of criminal activity and DEPLOY the workforce accordingly . Holding WEEKLY meeting with the WATCH commanders and holding THEM accountable to ACHIEVE the reductions in the targeted areas .
CRIME here is a very serious NEGATIVE and must be reduced . A zero tolerance approach AND of course getting THE JUDGES to sentence these people and not release them
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