By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Dates have been set for two public hearings for the town of Limestone — one to determine what the public thinks about the proposed reduction in police patrol hours from 24 to 18 and one to determine what the community thinks about proposed changes to ordinances.
The proposed ordinance changes were not available for public review before the April 3 Selectpeople meeting, as they were with the city attorney being reviewed, but discussion regarding the changes at the board’s prior meeting alluded that one change to the selectperson recall ordinance would include a stipulation that upon a failed recall election, whoever took out the petition to recall any/all selectpeople would foot the bill for costs associated with the matter. The ordinance-related public hearing is slated for Wednesday, May 8.
The other public hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 24 to discuss once more whether Limestone wishes to reduce their police patrol coverage from full-time to 18-hours.
As the board has deliberated the switch to 18-hour coverage, Town Manager Donna Bernier asked the selectpeople if they would be willing to grant Police Chief Stacey Mahan permission to test out the shortened shift during the month of April. Bernier explained her opinion that the request stemmed from the likelihood that Mahan will be asked during the public hearing his opinion as to how 18-hour coverage would work and what he proposes.
“To me, it matters what the people think — it’s if they want 24-hour coverage or 18-hours” said selectperson Thomas Albert. “It’s not what [Chief Mahan] wants or what we [selectpeople] want, we know what we proposed because it saves [money] but the people out there may very well go to the public hearing and say ‘we are not in favor of 18-hour coverage, we want 24’ which puts us back to the drawing board.”
“[Chief Mahan] can do whatever we ask him to do, but I think we need to grab the hub of what the people in Limestone want,” he added.
When asked by citizen Greg Ward what the savings was between the 24-hour and 18-hour coverage, Albert informed him it was basically $47,150.
Citizen Melissa Devoe also interjected in the meeting, offering her opinion.
“If you need my vote to turn the police force in 18-hour coverage, how can the selectpeople sit here and say ‘for the month of April, we’re going down to 18-hour coverage,’” she asked. “You don’t have the town backing you to do that; I don’t think you have the authority to do that until the town votes it in.”
The next meeting of the Limestone Selectpeople will be held tonight at 6:30 in the municipal building.
