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Council Considers Public Safety Dept
Lengthy Presentation Reveals No Cost Details
(posted 7.16.09)
Proposed ordinance 1149, creating a public safety department, was not well received by Speedway Town Councilor Jeff Hartman. Although the council took no action at their July 13 meeting, Hartman, after listening to the town manager's presentation, took an early stance by saying there is no need at this time.
Despite the town manager's presentation, several issues still remained
unanswered. Town Manager Barbara Lawrence did not give specific budget
details on potential funding or how the town would maintain fully staffed
fire and police departments if hiring for the department's director came
from within.
Lawrence also did not reveal a pay scale or job qualifications for the
position. She said the department would be an umbrella over the police
and fire departments, along with the creation of an emergency management
planning division. The presentation mentioned possible benefits of cost-savings
and the ability to receive grants by creating the department.
She told the councilors she would look at other communities in and out of the state and report her findings to them at the next meeting.
Police Chief Jeff Dine told the council his department has already received
two grants within the last six months and is expecting a third to be awarded.
Assistant Chief Joel Rush wrote the most recent grant. None of the grants
obtained by the police department within the last six months have involved
the assistance of the town manager.
Lawrence called grant writing a very time consuming process. The town hired
Banning Engineering to write the grant application for the Gerrard-Allison
storm water relief project.
Although numerous grants are available, Hartman realized the odds of being
awarded all of the grants applied for are slim. Hartman thought grant writing
should be a function of the town manager, and he even discussed that responsibility
during the interview process with the current and previous town managers.
He said the town recently hired an assistance for Lawrence because of the
long hours she spends working for the town. Lawrence's starting salary
was $97,500 in May 13, 2008.
Hartman said the fire and police chiefs' salaries range between $80,000
to $90,000. He could not justify spending additional money for administration
when both chiefs do a good job.
Councilor Lu Hillmer said she is still on "the fence" with the issue.
Resident Jack Norris opposed the department's creation, saying the town
has only 13,000 people, not 1.3 million. He said even if the proposed job
was free, the extra layer of bureaucracy would be time consuming by having
additional meetings. "We spend too much of our day tied up in dumb
meetings getting nothing accomplished." He did not want to change
the current system; calling it a "well oiled machine" that is
working. "We have to make sure we do not spend anymore money, period,
end of speech."
According to a web site search of the 25 largest cites and towns in the state, only nine have a public safety department or commission, four of which are combined with public works. According to 2008 census figures, Speedway is the 67th largest town in the state, with Madison and Chesterton slightly larger and Avon and Martinsville slightly smaller. None of these towns list a public safety department on their websites. Anderson has a public safety department and chairman who earns about $8,600 per year. A brief survey of grants.gov failed to reveal any grants limited to public safety departments.
The council also approved a resolution to accept Allison Transmission's
$25,000 assessment of benefits for closing Grande Avenue. Greg Ewing, Ice
Miller's attorney representing Allison, said "there are no plans to
construct buildings" on the road. Councilor Lu Hillmer wanted to know
if the street could be rededicated if Allison leaves town. "There's
always been rumors."
Ewing said there is nothing in the commitments to rededicate Grande, but it did provide for a dedication of land for the Holt Road extension.
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