THE VIDEOS OF CHESHIRE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION IS NOW POSTED UNDER "CHS GRADUATION 2008"

My daughter is singing in the Senior Chorus in Part 3. She is the last person standing to your right.

A local resident alerted me to a discussion by our Town Councilor Tim White regarding the possibility of our volunteer fire department becoming an all paid department. Apparently, this "idea" was put on the June 10th Town Council meetings Consent Calendar and was removed from that calendar on a motion by Councilor Tim Slocum. Apparently now, this "idea" will be discussed at the next Town Council meeting as a stand alone item where it belongs.

Now, I know a lot of you want to know what exactly is a "Consent Calendar." Well, here is your answer.

From: BOARDSOURCE

What is a consent agenda or consent calendar?

A consent agenda, sometimes called a consent "calendar," is a component of a meeting agenda that enables the board to group routine items and resolutions under one umbrella.

As the name implies, there is a general agreement on the procedure. Issues in this consent package do not need any discussion before a vote. Unless a board member feels that an item should be discussed and requests the removal of that item ahead of time, the entire package is voted on at once without any additional explanations or comments.

Because no questions or comments on these items are allowed during the meeting, this procedure saves time.

Items included in a consent agenda

Routine, standard, non-controversial, and self-explanatory are adjectives that well describe consent agenda items. The following are some examples.

• Committee and previous board meeting minutes
• Office reports
• Routine correspondence
• Minor changes in a procedure (E-mail is added as an acceptable method of communication to announce a change in a meeting schedule)
• Routine revisions of a policy (Changes in dates or dollar amounts due to changes in laws)
• Updating documents (Address change for the main office)
• Standard contracts that are used regularly (Confirmation of using the traditional in-house contract with a new vendor)
• Confirmation of conventional actions that are required in the bylaws (Signatory authority for a bank account or acceptance of gifts)

So, if one reads the BOLD print, one could use their imagination about why one would want the "idea" of the change from a volunteer to a paid fire department to be put on the consent calendar. Get it?

This step to an all paid fire department is a big step for Cheshire. I lived in cities and towns that had both, and frankly, I believe the volunteers did just as good as a job. I used to drive the Volunteer ambulance for Naugatuck years ago. I know, now I will hear–SO WHAT??? WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? Answer: nothing–I just like to show off and brag– that is what!!!

But the bottom line, I believe is that SOMEONE or SOME ENTITY may feel a little more secure with a paid fire department over an all volunteer department. I don’t believe that reasoning is logical. Volunteer fire fighters are just as capable and dedicated as I have seen over the years as their paid counterparts. Example: The Town of Trumbull has a volunteer department and has had no problems responding to situations at Trumbull Shopping Park. I even had a video last year of them responding to the mall. The problem is that unlike Trumbull, which has several fire stations within a several mile radius of the Mall, and even in a dire emergency, they could use the Bpt Station on upper Madison Avenue near Puglio Park near St. Andrew’s Church, Cheshire does not have ANY fIre stations anywhere NEAR this proposed Lifestyle Center. The closest is in another town–Southington.

That is the issue: whatever money the town may make on this Lifestyle Center in the first year would probably be eaten up by salaries to pay the professionals. We need a fire station near this facility in the north end part of town in plain English!! Go call Trumbull and ask them how many stations they have within Westfield Shopping Town.

Speaking of driving, I got into a small accident today–the other driver left the scene, but luckily I was able to get the license plate. The accident was in Southington, but when I dialed 911 I got connected to Cheshire. The CPD came out within minutes and parked behind my vehicle so no one would hit my car. I thank them for that. And they were able to track down the other vehicle. Again, thanks to the CPD for their efforts.

Now in other developments, I did receive a reply from the Cheshire Police Chief regarding my post on THE Meeting where I had a link to an article that claimed that a motor vehicle stop program used by the Oakland Police Department was not detering crime.

The comment made by our Chief stated that Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Police Department’s motor vehicle stop program has been successful in reducing crime.

Apparently, the Oklahoma City Police Chief spoke recently on this very subject in Connecticut. Chief Cruess is going to forward me that information and I will run it when I receive it.

In the meantime, let us ponder these essays on the value of motor vehicle enforcement. I believe it can be a red herring and deter good people from coming to town at the expense of "reducing crime." I believe it has to be done with moderation or a municipality may end up cutting off its nose, so to speak, to spite itself.

MYTH
Police officers should be arresting criminals, not writing traffic tickets. 

FACT
Traffic enforcement regularly identifies criminals and results in
their apprehension.

...A license plate violation resulted in the apprehension of the
suspect in the Oklahoma City federal building bombing.

...During 1994, traffic enforcement stops in Grand Prairie, Texas
accounted for 66 percent of all warrant arrests and 50 percent of the
arrests made for non-traffic related offenses.

...In Peoria, Illinois, during 1994 and 1995, an increase in traffic
enforcement contributed to a six percent decrease in violent crimes
and a 12 percent decrease in crashes.

FACT
Drugs, weapons, contraband, fugitives, and illegal aliens are
frequently found in vehicles during “routine” traffic stops.

...During a traffic stop, a Glendale, Arizona officer recovered a
stolen vehicle, which led to the location and identification of shops
where parts from stolen vehicles were being sold.

...During 1995, through traffic enforcement efforts, the STOP program
in San Francisco resulted in 120 felony drug arrests, 84 loaded
weapons confiscated, 65 recovered stolen vehicles, 128 other felony
arrests, and 153 felony warrants issued.

...In October 1996, two suspects wanted in Ohio for a motel robbery
and kidnapping of a motel clerk were apprehended by an Indiana State
Trooper after stopping the suspect vehicle for speeding.

...In November 1995, an Albany, New York, police officer stopped a
vehicle without a front license plate. The vehicle was stolen and the
driver was wanted in connection with a New York City homicide.

...In July 1996, during a routine traffic stop, a Lincoln,
Massachusetts, police officer found a shotgun in the vehicle. The
shell casings matched those found at the scene of a double homicide.
Both occupants were arrested and charged in connection with the
murders.

http://chaskamn.com/policeold/crimeprev.htm

SAFE AND SOBER

...Safe & Sober combines public education with increased or additional
traffic enforcement in an effort to reduce deaths and injuries on
Minnesota roadways. Last year in Minnesota, traffic crashes cost 1.5
billion dollars, killed 600 and injured 46,064 people.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/lh/crime.htm

CanadianDriver
February 1, 2005
Traffic enforcement proven to reduce crime 

...In 1994, when police in Peoria, Illinois, decided to make traffic
enforcement a priority, something remarkable happened. As officers
issued 24 per cent more traffic tickets over the next two years,
traffic collisions declined by 21 per cent and total criminal arrests
increased by 34 per cent. Why? Because when officers pulled over
motorists for traffic infractions, they found weapons, drugs,
suspended drivers and wanted criminals. In other words, the Peoria
police discovered that policing the roads had the unexpected side
effect of making the entire community safer.

...Similarly, in 1993, New Year City under Mayor Rudy Giuliani adopted
and implemented its "Broken Window" approach to law enforcement. Built
on the belief that small problems lead to larger ones, the strategy
focused police efforts not just on serious offences such as murder,
assault and robbery but also on traffic violations, including lesser
misdemeanours such as jaywalking. The result, in just five years: the
city experienced a 44 per cent decrease in overall crime, including a
60 per cent drop in its murder rate.