[Woodmere Mayor Charles] Smith said the village is talking to Orange Village about contracting out Woodmere’s police services.So, should we have or shouldn't we have - taken on Woodmere's dispatch services?
“We’re in a fiscal emergency and we are at a point where we can’t afford the police department,” Smith said. “The department represents 55 percent of our budget and for our small village of only five streets and 800 people, we are looking for opportunities to create sustainability.”
Last year, Smith said the village was going to do anything and everything to preserve the police department, but the current financial situation is not allowing the village to pay its bills in a timely manner. He is taking Orange Village’s $500,000 offer to conduct Woodmere policing very seriously.
As always, read the full article for the broader context.
3 comments:
It's somewhat discouraging that while we're deeply immersed in "merger" discussion that all four Mayors didn't get together to discuss the best way to effect Woodmere's safety/financial problem.
I'll only say that I don't know that that did not happen. Might have, but might not have. It would be interesting to know if Woodmere or Orange consulted with the planning commission or the County at all re: how might what they're contemplating fit in with the current situation. But then wouldn't this same potential expectation be placed on Pepper Pike's dispatch situation? And maybe there are others out there. Hard to know where exactly to draw the line when talking about keeping a municipality functioning, esp. one like Woodmere that absorbs so much out of towner action via Eton etc.
You're right Jill. It may or may not have happened. Maybe what should be considered while "merger" is being studied is to establish a criteria whereby each of the cities would communicate major issues they are faced with acting on withing the next 12 months to determine whether joint action would be beneficial.
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