Crestwood, Police, Fire, Public Works and the rumors of doom!
Folks it's time I guess to dispel the ridiculous rumors that our Police, Fire, Paramedics, and Public Works departments will be phased out. I firmly believe nothing could be further from the truth!
We have a BOA and a Mayor who are fully aware of the importance of these to any City in existence, and they will not let it happen, ever! While it may be true that some things like the Sappington House, White cliff Park, and the Animal control folks may well be on a reduced budget we will not eliminate any of them.
Like many other Cities as well as businesses, and households in America today there will be cut backs in the amount of spending, there has to be because the funding is just not there. We all feel the pinch at the store, the gas pump, and throughout our daily lives, and now Crestwood is in the same boat.
The Mayor, Board, and department heads must work smarter for the next couple of years to get us over the hump, and I have confidence they will do it as the chips are down, and no one wants it on their legacy that they presided over total failure!
Jim Eckrige has the knowledge, and the common sense to get this difficult job done so I suggest we spend less time complaining about the street not being manicured, and more time coming up with ideas to help him.
While I am at it, could we all please be a little more "civilized" in our missives to one another? I don't think we have any "idiot's" in Crestwood, only citizens who really believe in their side of the debate. Please let's all use our God given talents to try to understand their line of thinking no matter how "fuzzy" it seems. You would be surprised at how much better you will feel at the end of your post, for after all, you can't say "I told him / her" if you remain anonymous, so why bother to get your blood pressure up.
Remember, "it's better to give than to receive," which is why I give the heart attacks, not get them!
Tom Ford
NO. 541
We have a BOA and a Mayor who are fully aware of the importance of these to any City in existence, and they will not let it happen, ever! While it may be true that some things like the Sappington House, White cliff Park, and the Animal control folks may well be on a reduced budget we will not eliminate any of them.
Like many other Cities as well as businesses, and households in America today there will be cut backs in the amount of spending, there has to be because the funding is just not there. We all feel the pinch at the store, the gas pump, and throughout our daily lives, and now Crestwood is in the same boat.
The Mayor, Board, and department heads must work smarter for the next couple of years to get us over the hump, and I have confidence they will do it as the chips are down, and no one wants it on their legacy that they presided over total failure!
Jim Eckrige has the knowledge, and the common sense to get this difficult job done so I suggest we spend less time complaining about the street not being manicured, and more time coming up with ideas to help him.
While I am at it, could we all please be a little more "civilized" in our missives to one another? I don't think we have any "idiot's" in Crestwood, only citizens who really believe in their side of the debate. Please let's all use our God given talents to try to understand their line of thinking no matter how "fuzzy" it seems. You would be surprised at how much better you will feel at the end of your post, for after all, you can't say "I told him / her" if you remain anonymous, so why bother to get your blood pressure up.
Remember, "it's better to give than to receive," which is why I give the heart attacks, not get them!
Tom Ford
NO. 541
posted by Crestwood Independent at 14:03
16 Comments:
Tom,
If there are to be no cuts in personnel (police, fire, animal control, staff) how can the city reduce expenditures? I can see no significant savings anywhere else, can you?
How about the city's "animal control"? or is chasing dogs a police duty too??
Crestwood residents could use St. Louis County Animal Control.
2:57, 4:53 Blogger's: How do we do it? In a word "attrition." We don't fill lost positions until the actual need is there.
Animal control? Are you aware that we pay County (our taxes) to do that now? And are you aware that over 50% of the time the Crestwood animal control officer is "not available?" Don't believe me, ask an officer the next time you see one.
For reasons unknown to most all of us (somebody must know,) the animal control officer is a "sacred cow!" The Mayor told me himself that if she were to quit, he would hire another one at once, "because we have a lot of animals in Crestwood."
We do indeed have a lot of animals in Crestwood, but they are pretty much under the control of their owners, so why spend over $70,000.00 per year to have someone catch a "Poodle?"
Tom Ford
4:53, I seen the Police come and get a caged cat at night, that the animal control officer set out during the day. Then we go to Whitecliff park at night and sometimes in the morning, it's always the police department that opens the parks and kicks us out at night.
If we are going to do this through attrition, then why is the police department hiring now? Shouldn't they cut back? We certainly don't need more cops to sit around town and increase the city coffers by handing out tickets to residents. Or are all these tickets to residents Roy's way of getting that tax money of the residents in the end?
6:38 Tom.
You will get no argument from me about animal control! Attrition; maybe. The LARGERS retirement system is poor at best. It will be hard to get some to go when you only receive a pittance of your current salary. Couple that with age and 'no real marketable skills' (generallity) I would not put my eggs in that basket.
8:42 PM blogger: An excellent question my friend. I guess they haven't got the message yet! We should only be hiring when the level drops below the State requirements.
We now have plenty of staff officers who can man a patrol car, so I say get them on the street, ad out of the office!
8:42 PM blogger: I know that "loggers" is not the answer to full and funded retirement, but what is these days?
I am going on 67 and I still work every day, so it might just be necessary to become a walmart greeter, or whatever to augment the funds.
They do have a marketable skill in that security work would be right up their ally. There can be no doubt once again that retirement is going to be very tough for them (remember, I have two sons in that program,) but, like all of us they will do what is needed to get through it.
Tom Ford
Tom.
When manpower is an issue, the government taps into its reserves. Not a big fan of police reserves but it does put an extra body in the car, which eleminates the need for a back-up car. Payed or not is another decision, but it's one I think the city needs to explore.
Tom,
Perhaps the work flow process needs to be evaluated to discover the efficient approaches not used currently. One area is the executive secretaries. Adminstration should pool the resources and reduce the quantity of secretaries.
Has anyone thought of how much money it costs to have a hiring process for the police? all the written tests, 2 oral boards, pysch test, physical, and a cheif's interview! wouldn't it be easier to just pay the officers more instead of having a hiring process twice a year!
9:28 AM blogger: EXACTLY RIGHT MY FRIEND! As many of you may or may not know there are two types of "Reserve officers" available for duty.
1. Commissioned reserves with the power of arrest.
2. Reserve officers awaiting the academy training without the power of arrest.
In my younger days I served in Kirkwood, and Beverly Hills as a commissioned reserve officer (18 years total,) and in fact was the sergeant in charge of the reserves in both communities.
Crestwood can, and should hire young men and women who wish to pursue a police career from the academy (as I did during my time as reserve commander.)
I doubt that paying the reserves should be considered, nor is it necessary as they will be using Crestwood as a stepping stone for future work in Crestwood, or other departments in the future.
I would be very happy to meet with the chief and Jim Ekridge to explain how the program works, and the benefits to Crestwood.
Tom Ford
Excellent suggestions all. I firmly believe this City should start operating like a business, not a Government tax and spend entity!
Alderman Miguel, Nieder, Foote, Roby, and McGee have the background to do just that, and some of them are trying to.
Forget the "raise the tax mentality" of Government and think of this as the family business in trusted to your care! Would you run it into the ground, or would you do the right thing and make the tough choices?
Boy's, the ball is in your court, the residents of Crestwood are watching, and I say "Get er done!"
Tom Ford
Police reserves= Liability
That is why county no longer has a reserve academy..
Eureka, Kirkwood, County, all have moved away from the "reserves".
How much do the major and the Alderman make? Surely they would take a pay cut to benefit the city... Remember, these are "hard times" for the city!
11:18 AM blogger:
Reserves = Liability? Perhaps you missed my point.
We would only be using graduates of the police academy. Several people put themselves through the academy each year who are not "sponsored" by a department.
It is these graduates that we would be using, not raw, off the street people.
I will tell you now that there is more liability for the City just trying to walk into City Hall these days than you will ever get from on of these people.
Tom Ford
11:19 AM blogger: If we cut the pay of the Alderman they will be sending us a check each month.
The Mayor? well I don't really know. However $275.00 hour for an attorney who has to "get back to you" seems to be a bit much!
Tom Ford
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