FAIRFAX, GEORGIA VIEWS FAR APART

[Henry]

FAIRFAX, GEORGIA VIEWS FAR APART ON SHERIFF PATROLS

Fairfax Selectboard to explore options with State Police
As reported in the Friday, December 3, 2004 edition of The St. Albans Messenger
By Isaac Olson – Messenger Correspondent


Selectman Doug Webb, Fairfax, left, listens to colleague Ed Nuttall and Georgia Town Administrator Carrie Johnson in a photo taken and scanned from the December 3, 2004 edition of The St. Albans Messenger.

GEORGIA—Officials from Georgia and Fairfax on Wednesday discussed their joint contract with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, a conversation that offered up some differing opinions.

Seated in the conference room in Georgia’s municipal office building, Fairfax selectmen discussed their rising concerns with a $38,000-a-year contract that provides, on average, 20 hours of weekly police coverage.  That, they said, is not enough and some board members mentioned alternative plans, including greater use of Vermont State Police troopers.

Summing up his town’s view of the same contract, Georgia Selectboard Chairman Kirk Waite was more approving of the current situation.  He said, “ I think the consensus among our board is we would like to continue in some sort of contract like that.”

As the two-year contract comes to an end, however, both boards acknowledged a willingness to discuss the matter further.  The selectboards are moving into budget discussions in the upcoming months.

“When you take 20 hours and put it on the ground, you don’t get much,” Fairfax Selectman Ed Nuttall said of current patrols.

Citing break-ins and highway speeders, Nuttall said he doesn’t feel the sheriff’s department has adequate resources to provide the needed support.

Besides a lack of patrol hours, he explained, there is a lack of deputies. Also, he added, facing a potentially larger police bill for additional coverage would be challenging for some voters who may not feel they are getting results under the existing contract.

Fairfax Selectboard member Barbara Murphy said increasing to 56 hours split between the towns wouldn't create around-the-clock coverage, but would add two more days of policing. She also suggested going to the state for assistance to help ease the strain on property taxes.

Fairfax Selectboard Chair Jeff Blake noted a meeting planned with the Vermont State Police for Monday at 8 p.m. at the Fairfax Town Hall. The meeting, he said, will give VSP officials an opportunity to tell the town what they can provide. There are options, he said, including entering contracts with the VSP to have troopers provide more coverage.

"There are a lot of troopers in the Williston barracks that want to work overtime," said Fairfax Selectman Bob Horr.

Horr said the biggest complaint from residents is they are footing a bill every year and not seeing the expected results.

"I'm not satisfied with the service we've had," said Fairfax Selectman Doug Webb. "Being a sizable taxpayer, I never see a deputy or the sheriff. We can't go on the way we have because its not working."

"We owe our constituents something else," Horr said.

Having more coverage hours, Webb warned, would not put an end to problems such as break-ins, but it would help deter some of that illegal activity.

Waite emphasized that the Georgia Selectboard is open to moving in new directions with the contract, but said doubling coverage to 40 hours would probably be too much for the town. He indicated that the 56-hour split would be a more viable option for Georgia.

Blake said he would prefer to have 40 hours of coverage m Fairfax.   Waite noted that while deputies are on patrol in Georgia they are also on call for Fairfax and vice versa.

Blake expressed a different view, saying, "I have my feelings on how that materializes." He also noted some people question whether 40 hours of sheriff's patrols would just be "twice as ineffective. "

Murphy said a lot of dissention can arise at town meeting when it comes to the annual expense. The sheriff's contract in Fairfax is presented as an independent budget item, approved separate from the town budget. Murphy said there are some people who feel coverage could be left up to state police.

Waite said there are differing opinions on the issue, but the expense is included as a line item in the Georgia budget and does not really get singled out at Town Meetings. Some people, he said, would like to spend more on policing, where others would like to spend less.

Blake and Waite expressed a desire to continue working together as they move into the budget process.

Franklin County Sheriff Robert Norris was unavailable for comment today.

[Chris Santee]

I would like to comment on the criticism directed at the Franklin County Sheriff's Department from the Fairfax Selectboard.

In November, prior to deer season, Sheriff Robert Norris and I had several conversations regarding the break in problem in our area.

We brainstormed, compared notes and called in Lt. Dan Begiebing of the Vermont State Police and Representative Carolyn Branagan.

Through all these conversations, we concluded that the burglars were going up to the homes in daylight and knocking on the door.  If someone was home, the burglars would ask for directions to "so and so's" house.  If nobody answered, they used a credit card to gain access.

I volunteered to print that information in The Fairfax News and on December 2nd, the article "Daytime Break-Ins Plague Bedroom Community" appeared, instructing residents to call the Police with any suspicious activities, especially a couple asking for directions.

On December 3rd, two burglars approached a home in Fairfax and when the resident answered, they asked for directions to "so and so's" house.  The resident noted the license plate and make of car and called Franklin County Sheriff's at 524-2121. A dispatcher Cooper answered.

There was no cruiser available for Fairfax at that time, so he sent the info to VT State Police.  His brother, Trooper Cooper, responded and the State Police dispatched a cruiser to the suspect's house in St. Albans, where the car was discovered with watches, jewelry and electronics in sight on the back seat.  Warrants were obtained and two apartments full, and I quote the State Police, "a myriad of stolen property, was recovered."  Much of it from Fairfax.

Now, here comes my favorite part, included in the stolen property was a digital camera and it seems the burglars photographed themselves committing the crimes.

No comment.

Property has been recovered, arrests have been made and for our Selectboard Chair, Mr. Blake, to make comments like "the Sheriff's will only be twice as ineffective if we double their hours", is ludicrous !!!

Hats off to Sheriff Robert Norris, dispatcher Cooper, and the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, Lt. Dan Begiebing, Trooper Cooper and the Vermont State Police and most of all, hats off to the anonymous tipster, who had the courage to call it in.

Take Care & God Bless,
                 chris

ps. it's till a good idea to be on our toes.