Gouverneur Police Chief Warns Cuts Would Render Force “Dysfunctional”
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Gouverneur police patrols provide protection from crime, but village streets may soon be turned over to violators of the law.
That’s because Police Chief David Whitton has been ordered by the village board to cut his budget by $250,000 - a whopping 40 percent.
“Cuts of that magnitude would render the police force dysfunctional during certain times of the day,” said Whitton.
The cuts would translate into four and a half full time jobs out of a police department with only 8 officers and 4 civilian dispatchers.
“That would cut police patrols by 80 hours if not more, rendering the services probably between 11 (p.m.) and 7 a.m. non-existent. The streets would be kind of turned over to the night crowd,” said Whitton.
Village officials say the directive to cut spending in the police department’s $592,000 plus budget is a necessity to hold the line on taxes.
“It’s basically either that or there’s going to be there’s going to be some extra burden of the taxes on the public,” said Village Trustee Mike Bartholomew.
Last year Gouverneur police handled more than 5,000 complaints, including a homicide, vandalism and sexual assaults.
They also provided a variety of community services like funeral escorts and unlocking car doors after keys were left inside by motorists.
So far this year, police patrols have been out on the street for more than 3,700 complaints.
Whitton has until November 3 to draft a cost cutting plan - cuts he says he will never recommend.
See John Friot’s report:
Comments
177 Responses to “Gouverneur Police Chief Warns Cuts Would Render Force “Dysfunctional””
i live in gouverneur and that the village board is not being fair they should cut some of money the mayor gets and the trustees and have dpw stop driving around in villages work trucks and stop having three guys in a vechile or have only one man doing the work and two other guys standing there watching him do the work. why dont they lay some other department .
small town politicians making uninformed decisions that will affect the community adversely!!
IF YOU NOTICE THE VILLAGE BOARD IS NOT MENTIONING THE HUGE RAISE IT GAVE ITSELF LAST YEAR OR THE SECOND RAISE THEY GOT THIS YEAR. FUNNY, POLICE DEPARTMENT FUNDING OR GIVE YOURSELF A RAISE. THEY TOOK THE RAISE TWO YEARS IN A ROW. YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THEY WORK ONE OR TWO DAYS A MONTH, THE POLICE WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK. WHERE SHOULD THE CUT COME FROM? TRY YOUR OWN POCKETS.
I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH NO POLICE AROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I BET YOU SEE A LOT MORE CRIME. HEY, LET’S FIRE SOME MORE PEOPLE, THE BOARD WILL GIVE ITSELF ANOTHER RAISE.
NEXT TIME YOU CALL THE POLICE, WON’T YOU BE IMPRESSED TO WAIT 3-4 HOURS UNTIL YOU CALL IS ABLE TO BE ANSWERED OR NOT AT ALL.
I HOPE EVERYONE DOES SOMETHING BEFORE THEY ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.
People have to understand that without cuts, the village of Gouverneur is facing a double digit tax increase. Every other village department has been cut to bare bones in past years, except the police department. There’s nothing else to cut and the people of Gouverneur can’t afford the significant tax increase that will result. With the Zinc mine cloing a few weeks ago taking 200 local jobs with it, it left Gouverneur with very few to no sources of income for people. Their only option is to move out of the town and in some cases, out of the state… let alone paying a double digit tax increase for police. Also remember, we have a brand new State Trooper barracks just outside the village and what residents see is 2 or 3 Trooper cars in town at all times of day. We already pay elevated taxes for Troopers and Sherrifs. The town just can’t afford a third set of police. It’s just reality. I think the board did the right thing by taking the budget to Chief David Whitton and asking HIM to find the necessary $250,000 budget cut. If it’s so easy to do, he’ll find it. Right?
Lets cut the waste first. Please don’t say there isn’t any.
I wonder if this whole thing is a ploy to get the tax payer’s in the Village ready for another big tax increase. The Board threatens, the chief complains of doom and gloom, a few taxpayer’s rally the troops, and when it is said and done, the only thing that changes is we all have less money in our wallets.
The 5,000 complaint number is also suspicious. How many are fire and ambulance calls? I bet funeral details count as a complaint also. A deep look into the whole operation will show room for savings. Sooner or later something MUST change. If the Village Board is serious, I applaud them. If they back down, shame on them.
Barbie looks awsome sitting at her desk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MONEY IS THE ROUTE OF ALL EVIL!!!!!!!! SEEMS TO ME THAT PRIORITY HAS TAKEN A BACK BURNER WITH ALOT OF THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE VILLAGE BOARD. HOW DARE THE VILLAGE BOARD INFORM CHIEF WHITTON TO WORK WITH JUST ABOUT NOTHING??? LAST YEAR IT WAS THE SAME THING FOR THE VILLAGE POLICE DEPT. WHAT HAPPENED WHEN CHIEF WHITTON ASKED FOR A NEEDED CAR ?? HE WAS TURNED DOWN. WHAT ABOUT THE VILLAGE EMPLOYEES PAYING FOR THEIR INSURANCE. THEY CAN PAY THEIR OWN INS. PREMIUMS OR EVEN 1/2 !!!! IF THE POLICE DEPT. HAS TO CUT 40% SPENDING THEN THE REST OF THE VILLAGE SHOULD BE CUT 40% ALSO.
I have a family member who is an officer, I worry everyday about their safty. What will happen when the force is cut and they have no back up. What happens when there is a call and there are lives on the line and these brave officers can’t help because they themselves could be killed by going in with out any back up because the force had cut back on officers. What happens when someone is breaking in to your home at night and you call 911 and there is no one there to answer the call. Crimes don’t stop just because the police have to close their doors. Do you really want to put your family in danger over money. I know I never would.
In the list of things they said the Gouverneur Police did, they had to include unlocking doors, leading funeral processions and ONE murder that would’ve happened whether they were there or not? A murder they didn’t investigate? The State Police investigators did. I think that list seems flimsey because it is. It’s all they could come up with. Seriously.. do we REALLY need a double digit tax increase for Village cops to unlock doors, lead funeral processions and sit in Nice & Easy all night drinking coffee and talking to the Troopers? We certainly don’t need 3 shifts. If this is anyone’s fault it’s New York State’s for putting a new Trooper barracks just outside town limits and filling it with Troopers. We just don’t need it and we just can’t afford it.
It boggles my mind that the village board wants to cut the budget fr the police force by 40%!!!!! I recently moved out of Gouverneur, but I am weel aware of the fact that the village police always try to get to their calls in a timley manner, unlike the State Troopers most of the time. Cheif Whitton says that there will basically be no police force between 11 pm and 7 am……which means that people will be free to roam the streets and drive drunk, with no-one to enforce the law!! It is rediculous!!!!
It’s easy to take the small minded approach and have concern for when village police won’t be there. But we have Sherriff’s and Troopers. A 1 to 3 hour response time figure is just plain silly. Bottom line is that last year the village tax payers suffered a 21% tax hike. Stop and think about that. 21% tax hike in the village, only. And without these cuts we’re facing yet ANOTHER double digit tax increase. All of this in a town with no industry and what industry there is.. is now gone (Zinc mines) It’s simple economics. Apparently those wanting an overloaded police force are millionaires. I’m certainly not and if something isn’t done I assure you I’m leaving the village before the tax increases hit. I have a feeling I won’t be alone. In time, Gouverneur will be nothing but renters and welfare recipients.
WHAT ABOUT THE TWO ITEMS THAT THE VILLAGE BOUGHT AND HAS NEVER USED??? SELL THEM TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The police department has turned into a social club. Its about time someone brought back some discipline to the department. The board doesn’t want to get rid of the police department, it sounds like they just want to trim the fat.
Gary B. for such a smart guy maybe you can tell me this. If the State Police and Sheriffs Dept will be able to handle things in the village then why do they request our PD to respond to Fowler, Richville, Rossie and the Town of Gouvenreur to take care of their complaints. The answer is simple they are unable to cover their own areas let alone pick up more. If you think this is being made up then just check it out and you’ll see.
From what I see of the police officers in Gouverneur, they ride around all day talking on their cell phones (which by the way is illegal for EVERYONE) or in Nice and Easy or Sugarcreek drinking coffee. One officer has been promoted high enough where he doesn’t even patrol (Sgt.). What exactly does he do? One is retiring so there is no real loss of jobs there. Cheif Whitton has mentioned retirning himself so that makes 2 so now we are really only talking 1 1/2 jobs. Here is what I would propose. One officer retire. Cheif Whitton retire, The Sgt take his position at the pay he is currently making and eliminate the position he already has. Cut one officer completly and another to part time as well as eliminate the meter maid and make the dispatcher part time. Only one person loses their Job. The village may not see complete coverage but 5 nights a week it still could. Just don’t publish which nights those are and switch them every week so people don’t take advantage.
I am with Gary B. If there is another double digit tax increase, my house will be up for sale and I am out of the village. Let the Sherriff and troopers we already pay for cover the village after they cut the village down to 2 officers who can patrol in 1 car (less gas, less insurance, less maintanence) 5 days a week during the day and the other agencies we already pay for can cover the rest. We wouldn’t need a police cheif or a SGT who does nothing for $60000 a year. It is time we let the elected leaders run the village . That is what we elected them for!! Every time they propose something people throw a fit. Why do we even have a board. Let the mob rule!!
Sell that equipment, make the village police pay at least half their benefits (they get full paid benefits now) eliminate the DPW secretary… do it all.
“Village Resident” I too would like to know why Village funded Police officers are often covering area’s outside the village up to and including Fowler. I’d like to get some free service too but I don’t have that option. Must be nice. Bottom line is, the board isn’t suggesting this to make themselves look like bafoons. Maybe, just maybe they know something we on the outside, don’t. Maybe they can understand black and white. Maybe they can understand finances. We aren’t blind. We see what the “untouchables” do all day and we’re not willing to go to the poor house so they can do it.
Gary B. and Jason
You are still missing the point. The State Police and Sheriffs Dept can not
take over the village as they are unable to cover their own areas now. So getting rid of or downsizing the PD is not an answer its a diaster whating to happen.
If it happens to you or Jason just remember I told you so.
“village resident”.. does the taxpayer get any compassion from you? i see all sorts from you for state policemen who make triple the local average wage. i see your compassion for the village policemen who make triple the village average wage and get full benefits to boot… something the village tax payer doesn’t get in the private sector. do you honestly think a potnetial 30% tax increase in a 2 year span is in any way rationally acceptable? forgive us poor shlubs who are struggling to feed our family’s for being more concerned about that, than whether or not the village police will be able to assist the state police in fowler for a grass fire.
Please read “Mike”s statement from Sept. 25th. I think that is a terrific idea.
In regards to the comment left about the DPW secretary, she is a hard working, intelligent asset to the village. People do not understand the importance of her job. There are not enough workers down there to take care of the maintenance of our village not to mention hand them the duties of preparing all DPW bills, handeling calls especially during emergencies, scheduling services rendered to the residents, tracking our usage and intake of power, ordering supplies, tracking hours worked by DPW employees, managing numerous accounts, making sure the DPW workers maintain a safe work environment, these are only a few but very important job duties that she performes. If she was to be eliminated all of these duties would have to be spread out to other departments which then again there is not enough personnell to do this, the village would have to hire extra help. So how would eliminating DPW secretary’s position save money????
Gary B.
you seem to know alot about the alledged pay the PD gets and the benefits.
i know you think they do nothing and have all these great perks. why don’t you become one and live the great life they lead.
as someone who is a volunteer and works with all three depts i can tell you that there is a civil service test you can take to become one, unless your one of the people who calls them to take care of the problems you dont or wouldn’t take care of.
times are touch all over, but the safety of my family is number 1. it sounds like you have never had to need for police assistance or maybe you don’t like them for another reason, but pretending everything will be ok without them is foolish
“Village Taxpayer” -I refrenced the benefts point based on what the apparent “insider”, Holly Black said above. I’m not saying the police force does absoluetly nothing and anyone who does is just misguided. I don’t mean to come off that way. But you also can’t pretend that they’re doing superhuman duties for 8 hours a day, everyday. The Gouverneur Village Police officers make more than most of our troops in Iraq so let’s not get started on the heroism angle because it’s not even comparable.
Are you saying another double digit tax increase on village residents on top of the 21% hike we got last year is rational? Is there EVER a point when the Police force becomes touchable even if it means people can’t afford the necessities? I’m sure there are lots and lots of things that the Village can cut. I say include them all. Including a portion of the police force.
Why can’t St. lawrence country dispatch, dispatch our calls? Do we need 4 or however many dispatchers the news said we had?
“Dysfunctional”? When has this Department been functional?
Let’s review…
In the past, this department has had:
-Sexual Harassment suits
-An officer found guilty of misconduct after a fight in a local tavern;
-An officer fired for embezzlement;
-Officers dismissed for having sex on duty;
-Officers hired with previous criminal history;
-An officer shoot themself while playing “quick draw” (and I ain’t talking Lotto)
-And let’s not forget Chief Whitton’s involvement in the investigation of the fatal crash of the Lawrenceville Baptist Church van
-And one could go on and on…
I see alot of complaints about this problem. instead of running our officers down for the job they do why doesn’t this Gary B.and Jason say a few things good that our PD has done. I no for a fact that the sgt. retiring has 20 yrs. on the force, how many times do you think he has helped some one?????yet you people think it is a lazy mans job, well the grass always looks greener on the other side,step into their shoes for a week and really good an idea what the job is. I’m on a fixed income myself and I hate the thought of tax hike, but sure would miss a police department. I would like to thank the officers for a job well done for our little village.
I think everyone needs to take a breather. This is a budget / tax hike issue, not a bash individual officers issue. As we all know, we only hear about the bad that happens and never hear when things go right. I live in the village and my street at times is trecherous with speeders and drunks and without vigilant patrols I’d hate to see what my street would look like. I wouldn’t let my daughter outside. Some time back one officer jumped in the river to save someone who would’ve certinly drowned etc.. the notion that these officers don’t do anything is distasetful in my opinion.
On the other hand..I don’t think a single percentage tax hike is acceptable either but I also don’t believe that the Police department is the first place to go when cuts are required as seems to be the case here. Should the option be on the table? Yes. Should it be a last resort? Without a doubt. A true last resort.
I would like tosay that with the news that the country and most notabley New York State are experiencing economic hardships resulting into todays news about the State prison system looking to elminate jobs through attricion and consolidation that no one can really compain about the village looking for places to cut spending even if it is an undesirable section like the police force. There’s just nothing here. There just aren’t any jobs. It’s just the way it is but personalizing this won’t solve anything. If cuts need to happen in the police than that’s just an unfortunate truth, The officer who loses their position is trained and experienced. They will easily find a job elsewhere. If the chief, the remaining officers and the nearby troopers / sheriifs are really there to keep us safe and not just for the pay check, then they’ll just have to step up and manage. No one WANTS this to happen and anyone who’s getting enjoyment out of watching the police force squirm needs a psychological evaluation
I believe the budget woes can be blamed on the Mayor and the Board of Trustees. They have obviously mismanaged our funds if they are going to see a $250,000 shortfall for this year and they are only a few months into the fiscal year. I wonder how much they have spent on new equipment for the DPW since June 2008? I wonder how much they underestimated for certain costs within the budget that they knew were coming but did not prepare for. The economy is in shambles because of people living beyond their means. There are a lot of people crying poor but still have all the luxuries of high end cell phones, TVs, computers and not to mention all the services they pay for them. If you can’t pay your taxes or your mortgage you cut these items out. The Board and the Mayor need to approach the budget along the same lines. The recreation department is a luxury. No doubt good program but a luxury. Make parents take responsibility for entertaining their own children. I think if you asked rational thinking people would you rather have a police department or a recreation center I think the obvious answer would be cut out the recreation center. Start there. Everyone knows that with a declining economy and job losses comes increase in crime. Could be anything from larceny to domestic violence. Is the rec center going to help with that?
I believe that there are some people in the public to include some members of the Board and the Mayor that have personal issues with certain members of the police department. That these issues are clouding their judgement. Dealing with the budget I can imagine is very difficult but I think their clouded judgement is going to hurt public safety.
In reading the comments here there appears to be numerous comments based on false perceptions of police. As like the Board and Mayor, the public needs to remove whatever prejudice or false perceptions they have about police out of the formula and keep the interest in public safety in mind. Has the board or the mayor asked the public what kind of police service they want. If these cuts go through there will have to be changes in procedures and there will not be a 24/7 service. Have the board and mayor even discussed the potential consequences of these cuts other then the cost savings?
And by the way people will you read the law for cell phone use. Law enforcement is exempt in the course of their official duty. Do you have a crystal ball to know who they are talking too? So what if the police take a break and go to the Nice N Easy. I bet most people get a break during their work day and I bet it doesn’t get interrupted by an accident or something else. And take it easy on the DPW employees. You don’t know what they are doing at any given time either. The three guys you see in the truck may have just had to remove a tree out of the road or on their way to a water main break. And please proof read your comments!
My husband is a Village of Gouverneur Police Officer and I can say he does contribute to his insurance. Every week he pays for his insurance. As far as the State Police handling the murder here in town, they did assist with the Forensic Evidence Collection, (seeing the GPD could never afford to have that type of equipment) not the investigation. My husband worked about 16 hours that day along with other GPD Officers and the Chief. They handled it and did a great job. As far as the Officers in the village making more than the average worker in Gouverneur…You obviously have not seen a paystub of theirs! I would trade it with anyone in Gouverneur that has a civil service job and then I would’nt have to work and bring home double the paycheck that my husband does. Do I want taxes to go up? Not at all, but no matter what happends they will go up anyway. Let’s face it. Do people really think that taxes are going to stay the same or go down either way? I don’t. Safety in this town is very important. Even if I was not an Officers wife, I would want to know that if I had a problem and needed heIp I could pick up the phone and have help in minutes or even seconds, not hours they it may take the SP or Sheriff to respond due to their large patrol area. The SP or Sheriff call the Village PD because they need help and back up as these agencies are understaffed. Now take the Village PD out of the equation and you will have slim or no police coverage in the village or townships. My concern is for the people who have or will need help for any reason.
Former Village Board Member: Is there a reason why you are a former member?? I bet there is. I’m thinking it was not by your choice that you are former and being very bitter? You should have added that to your list! The ones that have done wrong in the PD are gone, why dwell on something that has been taken care of?
The village needs to focus on taking away luxuries and focus on the priorities, public safety and its infrastucture.
I would have to agree with the comment left by CA. The cops get bashed enuff as it’s such a thankless job. They’re great when you need them and you hate them when they address a issue brought on by yourself. Every state, county, city, village and towns accross this great nation are all in the same boat. Taxes, taxes, taxes. When will this problem ever stop. Are far as the Village of Gouverneur I would hate to see the Police Department sized down or eliminated. Everyone everywhere should not have to worry about the safety of themselves or their familes but evrything this day and age has a price tag attached to it. The village board drew up this budget back in June, 2008, My question is why this issue is being brought up three months later. Unknown costs they say. Don’t you budget for them? Why spend money on un-needed things such as a john deere gator to water flowers, a new john deere tractor, a new plow truck, a new vac truck, a new skid steer and so on. It seems if the village has all this money for these items then there must be a surplus or did they spend our dollars on un-needed items, at the presence time, and put themselves into a short fall for this budget. All our assessments went up on our homes. Where did that money go, on their own raises, and then to boot a 21% tax hike???, and is the village board really being truthfull to the taxpayers? They say every department is working bare bones. What about the rec-center? A man that works over there is making over $40,000 a year plus benefits with I don’t know how many assistants making at least minimum wage in a building that the Village does not even own. Money’s spent and services provided to the riverview park. Are tax dollars needed for these items before we eliminate other things. I think we the tax payers should rally and raise these questions to the people we put into office. Should the police department be looked at? Yes and it should be looked at just as much as evrything else in the budget. Then they should keep the priorites and eliminate the un-needed items. What about grants? Lets promote some more business to the Village. All in all we are the tax payers. We should have the say in how our money is being spent. Don’t you think.
This is directed to Jerry Fuller. I am a life long resident of the village and in your comment you said that there should be cuts in other departments. First of all there have been cuts in all of the other dept and there have not been any in the police dept. The DPW is down 3 workers since 2006, The DPW did not get a raise this year and the police got a 8% raise! The folks @ the DPW work ungodly hours because of the out of date water and sewer systems that badly needs to be upgraded. As for three people riding in a truck somewhere what do you want them to do, each of them take a seperate vehihcle? As for the comment of two guys standing around and one guy doing the work is just wrong. You have one guy running the equippment, one guy in the hole and one guy running for parts if needed and waching for hazards and they take turns in the hole to give the other some relief. I have a long constuction backgound and that kind of work makes you old before your time! While you are in your bed sleeping these guys are plowing the streets, working on waterbreaks and sewers in below frezzing temps all while you are in a nice warm house! I know some of guys that work @ the DPW and they definitley dont do it for the little pay the get, There there for the insurance the village offers. Alot of the good guys and gals that work for the village would not be there if it wasn’t for the insurance. They gould do the same job somewhere else for alot more pay with alot better equppment! You should not comment on something you have no understanding of! I know there are alot of people that think the same way you do but without the skeleton crew the DPW has now you might just wake up one morning without running water or sewer backing up and no one to call to fix it. As for the village police dept I agree with a few of you. The cheif could retire any time and officer Ashley is retireing in the spring,That there is aprox. 120000 to 130000 thousand of what they need and with a little more trimming of the fat this could be done without another huge tax increase. I have a hard enough time to put food on the table and fuel in the tank without having to worry about how I am gonna come up with more money for taxes. As for the safty of my family, I am confident that I can protect my family and property for a few hours a nite.
To those of you like Gary B., Jason, and former board member. Maybe you should take a positive intrest in the police department or at least take the time to understand what a police officer really does. It has been termed that a police officers job is hours of extreme boredum with a mix of minutes of sheer terror. Remember it is easy to critise what you don’t know, even though it is evident that you three must know it all. Gouverneur PD was assisted by the State Police in each and every homicide that has occurred in Gouverneur in years. The St. Lawrence County Sheriff also requested the assistance of the New York State Police for the last homiced that they investigated. While all of the residents in this village, as well as the residents in the larger villages of this county which have their own police departments, are fast a sleep be it night or day their welfare is being protected. Many times the actor is not caught in the act but because of the few minute response time versus up to an hour (yes I said up to an hour or even more) they are caught. So Gary B. the next time your neighbors dog humps up on your yard call your mother instead of the police she might have time to listen to complain.
“Wish I knew It All”… I simply can’t afford a tax increase of this magnitude and neither can anyone else who lives in the village except if your husband is actually on the police force. All I’m saying is that everything needs to be looked at. Including the police force. I’ve said that several times above. The idea that even mentioning the “illustrious” GPD for possible cuts is the end of the world is just plain fearmongering. The DPW is just as protective over their jobs as the police men and women are over theirs. Who can blame them? But acting like if we lose a few dispatchers and possibly one officer means we’re all going to be murdered in our beds by the boogyman is just irrational.
I have been reading all kinds of remarks about the problem facing the village of Gouverneur and their Budget Woos. I believe that Chief Whitton submits an Honest and True Budget each year with no frills or pork barrel fat included so cutting 40% is not an option…..I have lived in Gouverneur for 50+ years and have seen many village boards come and go, but when i see a village board that thinks they are in need of a double digit tax increase two years in a row the first thing that comes to mind is very poor money management on the part of the Village Board….I doubt that many of the residents of this village have seen their personal income increase by double digits last year and are expecting the same this coming year……We have to live within our means and make best use of what money we have…..If we are lucky we may get a cost of living increase that is equal to the yearly inflation rate…..This village board needs to leave the Police Department alone and go back to their own spending plan and start trimming the fat that they want us all to believe is a necessary expense….I think that we need a Cop more than we need a river walk. Yeah we paid a bunch of tax dollars for that . I would rather have a Cop than a track hoe. No one seems to know how many tax dollars went there. I see a lot more use for a Cop than i do for a mud sucker. Has your drain been sucked out lately? And i am willing to bet it only takes ONE cop to change a light bulb……Dorothy ,i think you should take your little dog Toto and go back to Kansas if you cant do a better job with my money.! ! !
Life Long Resident of Gouverneur
I too am grateful for the service provided to us by the Village Police Department. But I think it can be reduced and still be efficient. Why is there a Chief and a Sgt. on the same shift? It used to be the Chief worked the day shift w/an officer and the Sgt worked the nite shift. Why are the officers that live outside of the village limits routinely allowed to take there police cruisers home to “check on things” while they are on a shift? Why are village funds spent on village officers leaving the village limits to help the sp or sherriff? You have 2 police employees that are willing to retire. Let them, don’t fill their positions and nobody has to lose their job. Have them stop their out of town travels and reduce any unnecessary overtime.
Why cant the Town of Gouverneur pick up some of the tab?We pay town taxes on our properties and the town does nothing for the village! It’s about time we get something in return for our tax dollars that they collect from us every year! The Town charges the village every time they use the sewer flusher and the village doesn’t charge a single dime when the town needs something. Mabey the village should charge the town every time the town has a waterbreak and requires the use of the village vac truck! I think they should pay half of the police depts. budget, after all they are collecting taxes from the village.
Shame on you people who trash our local PD,,as far as cellphones,,they are used on duty for calls pertaining to work. The board cant take a big pay hike and pay for the departments cellphones too. This village board has gotten to be a laughing stock of the town,,same as our school board. Nobody wants to run of any substance because they have these clowns to deal with who have all the answers but dont know anything. This is plain disgusting. What a sad town this has become. I want to thank our local PD for the service to our community and when you are being put down,,just remember where it comes from. It comes from some slug that has nothing else to do but complain.
What is confusing is to think that the village leader’s could long term plan and construct a million dollar foot bridge over the oswegathchie river, that all taxpayers will pay forever to maintain and is being used to serve very few. Now, village leaders want to reduce the Village Police Department, which serves everyone !
Great planning Guys And Gals !!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that he should be told to cut the budget to 50%….Because during a financial crisis, cuts have to be made. No matter what the service is affected!
For the record, the Police did NOT get an 8% raise this year. It was 3%. Please get your facts straight. As far as DPW not receiving a raise, I do not know as I do not know their contract and what they agreed on. The PD has gone without a raise in the past. I will agree on the hard working men in the DPW and they should not be bashed. We need those men as well as our Police force.
Drastic times mean drastic measures. Everyone above makes great points. The Riverwalk was an expensive waste of money. The town of Gouverneur should absoluetly be paying a portion of the tax bill. We need someone or a group of people on the board with real vision. Maybe the current members could show some or explain why these aren’t viable options.
Yes Gary B the Police make a ton of money!
Are you serious? Why would we want the Police force cut? If my husband looses his job then guess what? We would have to move. The safety of my family, friends and neighbors will be gone. Does this make sence to you? This is only a start to eliminating the whole Police Department. Are you looking at the whole picture here? No one wants to loose their job, if your a Police Officer, construction worker, farmer or working at McDonalds. I understand your worried about taxes going up, with or without a Police Department do you think the taxes won’t increase? I guess its ok for a family to loose a full income but god forbid if YOU have a tax increase of a few dollars each year which is going to happen either way. Do you think the Police Department is raising your taxes? I think you should look alittle deeper into what the village taxes are being spent on, obviously you have no clue.
No, not shame on the Board! When the past Board took it upon themselves to cut costs in the PD by elimination of the dispatchers everyone yelled that they should have talked to Chief Whitton to see where the money should have come from. This Board has gone to Chief Whitton to get his imput and everyone yelling that they shouldn’t have asked him. WTF? You people who are tossing around opinions forget one thing. The Village Board is being provided facts and figures from what is currently being spent by the departments. The Police have never had any regard for conserving funds. Why do they need 3+ vehicles? They come and go as they please. They are the only department that has not received any downsizing. Why? Because when a Board tries to make changes in the PD the PD rallys around their buddies and family members to spread fear throughout the rest of the village residents. No one dares say anything publicly against the PD because they don’t want to be harrassed, as has happened to a past Board when they tried to make changes.
Natalie-hang in there. Uncertainty in the future is troubling. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. My best to you and your family.
As a member of the Gouverneur FD we need the Police Dept. If it wasnt for them our pagers would not be tripped in event of a call. Most of our area has a weak signal for our fire pagers. There is many times Canton’s Signal does not hit our pagers and if it wasnt for the PD repeating everything we would not know there was a call. So when your house is on fire and your family is inside and no one shows up who is to blame then ???
There has been many times the local PD has placed fires under control before the FD arrived on scene. This saves Property, Lives and Family Pets !! ONE TO TWO MINUITES IN A HOUSE FIRE IS A HUGE DIFFERANCE so when the pd can use a fire extusher and place a fire under control within 1 min of the call its saving lives and property.
The PD helps the FD out on accident scenes and any village incedent. There has been many serious events in Gouverneur were the pd has been hands on with the FD . They have been in cars stablizing patients, helped removing patients that are in very serious condition and are great for traffic control. The other agencys arent as hands on when we ask for assistance as the local PD is.
I’m not saying these officers make extravagent paychecks. I’m saying we can’t afford a potential 31% tax increase in two years. I repeat, if other area’s can be reduced or eliminated altogether then FINE!! But you can’t expect the village to eliminate the entire DPW before cutting back on one or two dispatchers. Let’s not pretend the GPD can’t make any cuts whatsoever. Do we need all those dispatchers? How many SGT’s do we have? Do we need a Sgt. and the Cheif on the day shift at once as someone described above? Do we need two officers AND a SGT on duty Tuesday and Wednesday nights? Why can’t the Troopers stay close to town on those nights? Is there no coordination between the Village PD and the State Troopers? Are the chances better that something might happen on those nights in Edwards …or Gouverneur? But then again this is proactive thinking and that type of thinking is struck down everytime someone challenges the PD.
And I would like to thank Jane for bringing up the point about the officers who live outside the village. Since when were they allowed to do that? How many live outside or inside the village? When i was young I believe that was a hard-fast rule that the officers had to reside in the village. If not it just looks bad. They aren’t putting into the tax system they’re benefitting from. Was that changed for the Chiefs son too?
As for retribution, I am not scared of it. I used my real initials and I don’t care who knows me!! My concerns are as valid as anyone elses!
This is to Gary B. You really do not have a clue. Did it occur to you that there are three shifts in our 24/7 police department. Four dispatchers cover these shifts so that maybe someone can have 2 days off or let alone a vacation or personal day. If they are not dispatching then the road patrol has too. Until the Village can get around all the semantics of someone else doing the dispatching for our police department the dispatchers will have to remain.
Do you not understand that AT NIGHT there is one State Police car out of the Gouverneur station for their entire coverage area. This area stretches from somewhere near Macomb/Rossie to Pitcairn. To say that the Gouverneur SP night patol needs to hang closer to the Village is to suggest that the Village deserves better service than those taxpayers in Edwards. And guess what, they are mandated to have two officers in that car. Our police are not mandated though it should be. Heaven forbid the Board keep in mind officer safety. The Village PD has many hours where there is only one officer. There are never two patrols and one Sgt. on at the same time. I am sure that would be a luxury for them. Don’t think for a minute that two patrols in the State Police car diminishes their chances of getting hurt. It helps to have two but they can get sent to some remote areas. It is going to take much more than losing 1 or 2 dispatchers to make the $250,000 goal the Village Board has given our Police Chief. Even if the Chief were to retire another will have to be appointed. You can not have a police department without a chief law enforcement officer. And we do not have a say on when he retires. He goes when he wants to and should be able to do that when he is ready. Doesn’t his years of experience count for something? You can not put a price tag on that. If you get rid of one or two dispatchers then the road patrol will be covering and if you cut officers that means there may be nights when the patrol will be covering the phone and no one will be on the road. Then who is going to respond? Another thing that you do not know what you are talking about is pointing out about officers that reside outside of the village. Apparently you were not around just a few years ago when the residency law in the Village was deemed illegal per Civil Service Law. The Village Police positions (Chief, Sgt., Patrols, Dispatchers and Parking Enforcement) are dictated by Civil Service LAW !!! Until the Village residents and the Board come to some consensus about what type of police service they want I don’t believe the Chief will be able to make their goal. If $250,000 is cut it will substantially change police service. What is it about that you people do not get?! This is something I wonder. Why is it that all of us found out about this issue from the local newspaper and that this was not openly discussed in the Sept. board meeting? Was the Mayor and the Board trying to keep their demand on the Chief a secret? Instead they made a closed door demand on him to cut $250,000 without any concern of how that would effect the public. Do the Board and Mayor really have our best interest in mind? Gary B. if you are so concerned about your taxes and potential increase then you need to scrutinize the current budget and how your money is REALLY being spent.
As to you Gary B, you sure have alot to say. I have one question for you, Are you employed ? It seems to me you have a lot of free time on your hands due to the fact you sure have a lot of time to be writing numerous commets a day.
And for the BIG WAGE COMMENT from you Gary. You could be making THAT BIG WAGE for yourself if you wanted to make something of yourself, but obviously you didnt or dont want to better yourself, but criticize the people that did. As to the BIG WAGE, the officers do not make as much as you think they do considering they put their lives on the line to protect you and your family everyday 24/7. As to your comment about the police officers going to attend grass fires, them officiers are also fireman. Again, going to safe you and your family if GOD forbid your house is on fire. As to your comment about the SP and Sheriffs covering the village, they have all they can do to cover their assigned areas.now. Now realistically Gary, you or anyone else doesn’t think that your taxes are going to increase. If for some reason, the police department is eliminated, the SP and Sherriffs will have to hire more officers, new equipment, etc to serve, your fellow citizens. If the SP or Sheriffs serve the Gouverneur Community above what they serve to any other community, I assure you, the cost will be passed on to the local taxpayers. GET A GRIP ALL, your taxes are going to go up no matter what, the economy stinks and its only going to get worse. And as to your comment about residency. The residency was approved by a local law by the mayor and board of trustees which was several years ago. This residency law governs ALL EMPLOYEES under the Village of Gouverneur, NOT just the GPD. There are several NON-POLICE employess that live outside the Village of Gouverneur. So Gary, if you had any brains at all, you would get the facts and not be afraid of the truth.
You all need to take a closer look at the VILLAGE and the VILLAGE BOARD and the MAYOR, they obviously have been mismanaging the taxpayers money. The police department has been there for years and years and never had an issue with what they are asking for the Chief to do. They are not cutting back 25,000 but 250, 000. Come on who is spending the taxpayers money. The Village Board and the Mayor have their priorities mixed up. The Riverwalk granted is a great idea, but serving and protecting our citizen should be the priority. And the Recreation Center, that is a luxury, YOU DONT NEED. It is a joke. This recreation center only reaches young children, it doesnt incorporate the sports programs, it only acts a babysitting service for the parent of young children.
And to you MIKE, your comment. Yeah maybe the 2 jobs or 1 1/2 as you call it is coming available and these officers do not to be replaced, but they do. It’s obviously not yourself or family member putting their lives in the line of duty to a domestic or a bar fight, or any other dangerous situations with noone to back them up. I’m sure if it was yourself or your family member putting themselves in harms way, you wouldn’t feel the way you do. You would want backup and it wouldn’t be the SP or the Sheirffs that could be 30 to 45 minutes away, it would be your fellow officier that would be minutes away.
As to the comment from JASON, Have you ever been a Police Chief? Obviously NOT, It isnt something you leave at the office at 5pm when you go home as you would think. The responsibilites for that position are 24/7. And may I remind you, he only gets paid for 40 hours. As they say, dont judge someone until you yourself have walked in their shoes.
As to the past board member, my question to you is…If the police department was so corrupt and disfunctional during the time that you served on the board of trustees, then why didn’t you do something about it? Either is was a matter of you not having the facts or not having the balls.
And those who want to bash the Chief, he has been an officer, a sergeant and now the chief for 21 years. He has served the community for 37 yrs. He is the most dedicated, rational, think all angles through before reacting person I know. To those that say he can’t budget his department, you are all wrong. He obviously has been doing it for 21 years as chief. Its the VILLAGE BOARD AND MAYOR, mismanaging money. IKE has the the correct comment, they can do a plan to construct a million dollar bridge, but can’t do a plan to cut 250,000. As to what I say, they can’t do it, so they drop it in the Chief’s lap. The Village Board claims that they made cuts in every department but the GPD. However they have never made any cut in any deparment that would render it disfunctional unlike this effort. LETS VETO THE BOARD AND THE MAYOR!
Historically, when the Economy is in recession, it results in an increase of crime. And this is exactly what we are heading for.
What’s really ironic here is that most of this administration got into office fighting for the police department and the dispatchers. The mayor presented a petition to the former mayor demanding the positions be reinstated. After she was elected THE FIRST board business conducted was reinstating the dispatchers. I guess that after five years you think you’re smarter than the people who voted you in.
As for the safety officer in DPW. I agree that the department needs someone to be a leader. But should’t that responsibility fall on the department head, in this case the safety officer’s husband (DPW Superintendent). Is there a reason we’re paying over $80,000 (not including benefits) for two people (in the same family) to run the DPW?
Is anyone considering the liability factor? If the PD is closed for any period of time, just who gets sued when someone becomes a victim of a crime? The municipality or those who made the decision? Maybe both.
The current budget is pretty clear on what is budgeted for personnel in each department. DPW for 40-hour week plus call ins for weekends totals $552,000. Police department for 7-days a week, 24-hours a day totals $592,000. And one board member said the PD comprised 60 percent of the budget. That may explain why this bunch has so much trouble balancing the budget.
What is killing the village is debt payments. They have discovered that bond anticipation notes can buy them all kinds of expensive top-shelf equipment. But those payments to keep our high tech ($250,000) sewer truck, our cute little Gator and those wondeful trucks and tractors are what may cost us our police department. I know I’ll sleep better at night with a sewer truck ready to look after me in case something plugs up my line! But if someone’s breaking into my home I’ll just hope that the state police or sheriffs department doesn’t have something going on in DeKalb or Star Lake. Maybe a board member can come to our rescue!
We have a new board member that has degree in accounting, who has had owned his own company, who has also been fined for labor violations more then once. Was this new board member investigate prior to his appointment? NUMBERS CAN LIE AND LIARS CAN MAKE NUMBERS LIE. More to come on the issue of the accountant.
Here is an idea for anyone who has recently lost a job due to the poor economy…or for anyone who would like the wages and benefits that the Gouverneur Police Officers do …
Go to http://www.co.st-lawrence.ny.us/Central_Services/61-260.pdf and apply to take the Civil Service Exam for Police Officer, Exam #61-260. The test is November 15th but the deadline to apply is October 29th.
I encourage all of you out there to take the written test and phsyical test to be on the civil service list for municipal police officers and find out what this job is all about. I have a feeling that the Gouverneur Village (or Town) board …whichever it may be at that time will be looking to hire again in the future once they realize what a sad sad mistake they are making…
Also, make sure you read through the written contract though because i don’t want anyone to really assume that your insurance would be fully paid by the village or that you would be subject to an 8% yearly raise because if you believe that then you are seriously mistaken!
We get it. An officers job is tough. Who’s isn’t? Is their job any tougher than the miner’s who spends the majority of his day underground? Any more dangerous than the school bus driver who has dozens of kids lives in their hands? Everyones job is important to THEM. You say the board got their jobs by defending the Police Department? Well maybe they got in and now have insight into the reality that the PD is overstaffed comparatively. Just the way people on here are explaining the reality of the policeman’s job to us in the comments above. I think those who feel strong enough to threaten the board members with their jobs for taking a stand ought to know that there is an equal power out there threatening their jobs if they DON’T take this stand and keep it.
To Westsider: The person you identified as a safety officer is actually a secretary for the DPW; not a leader. She is needed because the Supt. works out on the street with his men. She is a very efficiant office worker with a lot of responsibility and maybe thats why you think she is a leader. She makes $32,000 a year and does NOT receive health insurance benefits. It is the same ideal as the Sgts (2 sgts!) that works with the police cheif and make $50,000 each with benefits or as the asst. treasurer in the village office that maks $40,000 with benefits. Stick to the issue at hand and stop trying to pass the blame off on the DPW. Plans should be based on facts and not the rumors and innuendos that you are breeding. To DSR-The word is elected by his peers, not an appointment–big difference.
To what greater end?
Maybe I am on the wrong page here?? Wasn’t the topic about the job (or not having a job) in the Police Department?
You are right about one thing Mike, everyones job is important to them and no one wants to loose their job! Isn’t that why this is all taking place?
Overstaffed PD you say? *gRiNs* yeh, ok!
The issue should be fairness. You don’t ask for everything from one department and nothing from the others. Maybe $50,000 from one, $32,000 from another, $40,000 from another. I’m sure if a school district were looking to scale back they wouldn’t ask that the entire amount to be cut come from the eighth grade. Wouldn’t that be stupid and irrational?
And, according to the village board, the person is also a safety officer. Her posisition was cut months ago, and then saved (on a probationary basis) when a lawsuit was allegedly threatened. My $80,000 estimate was a little low and THEY do get benefits.
Fill me in on rumors and innuendos that I’m breeding. I found my numbers in the actual budget that this board approved.
The bottom line is you don’t ask a department head to do what you are too scared to do yourself . When something bad comes of the decision they can point their fingers at David Whitton and say it was his fault. He’s the one that made the cuts!
Mabey someone could post the budget on here? While we are all throwing rumors around the village could also post the contracts of each Dept to see what the real facts are. That would end alot of the confusion here. I understand that the budget can be viewed by the public but what about the contracts that each dept negotiates with the board,can that also be viewed by the public? If it could be that would tell who is spreading rumors or facts!
I’ve been listening to and reading the information and comments about the village budget and the police department. Don’t we pay taxes to have SERVICES? I think that the DPW and the PD would be at the top of the list to KEEP whatever and whoever needed to keep these services available. Yes, I believe that there is waste in any department and that waste could be trimmed or eliminated without touching jobs. Isn’t that what we all do when we need to pay necessary bills? I do think that any unnecessary program should be eliminated before any vital services are cut. Recreation. Nice to have, but couldn’t volunteers do it? Is it actually a program that is being used to its utmost potential? Also, I know for a fact that the police department employees pay premiums for their insurance, like the rest of us do. They have copays for prescriptions and doctor’s visits. As another writer said — the police officers are entitled to take a break during their tour of duty. They just happen to take it publicly, and yes, they do meet with State Troopers or Sheriffs for coffee. Maybe they’re discussing police business. Are you typing your comment to this site while at work? Does your boss know this? People who complain about civil servants riding around or standing around while one person does a certain job…. do you know what’s going on? I think not. Maybe two men had to dig the hole, and the third man is doing the electrical or plumbing part of the job. Stand there and watch them or maybe YOU could do it, voluntarily of course, and eliminate one of the men. I’m sure there are many places to cut costs in this budget…. a few less board members? Do we need that many? OR… ASK the residents if they are willing to pay a little more taxes to keep the services. In conclusion: maybe we should have paid more taxes for schools…. so many of these comments are full of misspelled words and confusing sentences.
Just because you have a copy of a current village budget in front of you doesn’t mean you know how to read it. It also is not as accurate as the monthly or weekly reports that the board is getting. The board knows what is going on, they have insider information that the rest of us do not. I understand you wanting to protect your friends in the PD. I will repeat myself. When the last board made the decision on there own to eliminate the dispatchers, some people were up in arms about it. They cried that it wasn’t right, the cheif should have been asked where money could be saved. This board has asked cheif where the money can be saved and now the criers are saying thats not right the board should have decided. Some people like to criticize just for the sake of criticizing. As far as the fairness in the cuts, the dpw has been cut, they are short 3-4 men compared to when this board first began. The village office is short an administrator, 1 secretary and 1/2 a code enforcement officer. They have added on a full time janitor. You speak of this board supporting the reinstatement of the dispatchers when they first came on board. Two points to make here: 1.The board has not said they want to get rid of the dispatchers that is something you assumed. 2. You will recall that you also fully supported the people on the board when they first came on. They now have a full view of what is happening where, let them do the job you elected them to do.
“Interested Party”.. If you’ve never worked in managment in the private sector then you would have no idea that the reality they see is alot more clearer than the laborers. John is right. If the budget was up to every Tom, Dick and Harry in Gouverneur we’d be non-existent. Do you think it’s in the best interest of the current board members to carry out some Hollywood style vendetta against the village police officers? Please! Let’s all keep in mind that if this cut isn’t accomplished we’re all facing another massive tax increase in consecutive years. Sure, safety is a top priority. But so is making ends meet what with the fuel bills we’re all about to face this winter. I don’t believe this town is loaded with hooligan’s. I believe like every other town it’s the same small percentage of dirt bags committing the same crimes and complaining day after day about their neighbors music. What else do you have to do all day when you’re on welfare? Well, if this cut isn’t seen through many of us are about to find out.
This point is for John. To say the secretary of the DPW does not receive health benefits is a misrepresentation. She does receive health benefits. The beauty of her situation is that she happens to be marrried to another Village employee therefore she and her husband can carry the family plan and only one of them has to have the deduction of premiums from their paycheck. That premium is the same rate as a single person. The only difference between the single and family rate is the deductible. You should also know that the Police Officers pay a higher weekly premium than all other employees. Granted this is done through contract negotiations but my understanding is that without paying more for their health premiums they wouldn’t have been able to get a raise.
Also John, there is no difference about this boards approach to the police department as the last ones. The last time we had this controversy that board plainly said “Let’s get rid of dispatchers”. The problem was they did not have any plan whatsoever about how to replace that service and did not even discuss it with the Chief or the County Officials for which they assumed 911 would pick it up. This board has said “Cut $250,000″. Again there is no place to cut in the police budget other than personnel. The board knows this and know the end result will alter service. Again the same issue arises. They have not discussed with him the possible changes that will occur with that kind of cut in personnel. The controversy is the same just this board is going about it in a different way. They have no plan in place for these cuts no matter if it is police officers or dispatchers.
There were no cuts in the other departments that you noted. They just did not fill them as people left. There is a difference. This Village has been driving good employees away for years and then not replacing them. Lets hope they don’t drive away our police officers. Or is that really their goal?
I happen to know for a fact that the DPW secretary has voluntarily given back her health insurance benefits every year for the past 13 years with no additional compensation (and no additional request to be compensated). No, she has not paid the weekly $10 employee contribution during this time. BUT neither has the village had to pay the thousands of dollars toward insuring this individual employee-insurance that the village is contractually obligated to offer her no matter who she is married to! If you want to continue to bash this woman, why don’t you start your own website and let this one continue to address the matter at hand.
Hey Insider, who died and made you an administrator on the WWNY Internet site?
The matter at hand is fairness. I never voted for David Whitton as either a village trustee or mayor. So why is it that our board has left the budget problems solely to him? They were elected to handle the needs of the village. This includes formulating a budget for the coming year. But for some reason this board, I’m guessing that they don’t want to end up with blood on their hands, has handed the knife to Chief Whitton and told him to start slashing away at the people he leads.
As for this being personal. One board member has spoken openly, for many months, about wanting to do away with the police department. This board should be careful of what they wish for. It just might come back and bite them squarely in the as. Sorry about that, in the butt!
So INSIDER, noone is bashing the DPW secretary, they are just making a point as you seem to be doing. If she were single and not married to a village employee, she would carry her own insurance and be paying her own insurance premiums herself, however her husband carries the insurance, they have the family plan. Of course, she isnt going to get compensated for not carrying a single insurance plan. Either is any other citizen working for any other company. I myself do not get compensated for not carrying my own health insurance. SO GET A GRIP, if she wanted her own insurance, I’m sure for the past 13 years, she would have gotten it……YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. Don’t need our own website, we got this one as you do. GO WESTSIDER
We all seem to be missing the whole point. As taxpayers, we do not want our GPD or DPW gone. It is the taxpayers money that is paying for this, so WE TAXPAYERS should have the say. We want our own PD. So the Mayor and Board members should find a way to keep the GPD and the DPW. They found away to come up with the money for the Riverwalk and to maintain it didn’t they. What about the Recreation Center, I know I’m not the only person that feels, we DO NOT need it.
Dorothy, you and your board members should be ashamed of yourselves. None of you can do the job that you were elected for. You obviously know that the Chief has more brains then any of you do, since you dropped the bomb in his lap. Unfortunately, the CHIEF cannot cut a budget of 250,000 without a huge backlash and why should he. You and the board members are the one supposed budget the taxpayers money, so Dorothy what is next that you are going to ax.
I hope that one day ALL that want the GPD gone, is going to have someone coming in your house trying to harm you and your family and noone coming to help you in the matter of minutes or tha you have a fire and the GFD pagers were tripped off from Canton and that their pagers did not go off and the GPD isn’t there to send another page out to the firemen. You will realize at that time, your judgement was the wrong one and that you should have gone above and beyond to save the GPD.
TAXPAYERS get a grip, your taxes are going to be double digit again and again because of the economy, gas prices, etc. Look around at other towns and villages, they are struggling with the same issues, but have a mayor and board that can budget their money. Everyone, Everywhere are feeling the tax hikes. If you get rid of the GPD, whats next to keep your taxes down. FACE IT, NOTHING.
To Mike. The same applies to the Police. I am sure they have an insight into what really goes on in our Village that you have no idea about. They have been involved in situations that you do not hear about. Police Officers and their families really know what they deal with and know that while everyone else has what they perceive as “reality” theirs is far different. I can’t wait to hear what Chief Whitton has to say at the Oct. meeting about how this cut will effect police services because I would far rather rely on what a man with 37 years of experience has to say over people like yourself or Board member or mayor that has no experience in law enforcement. Oh and Mike it is not just the “hooligans” that live hear. Its the hooligans that pass through our town, the ones who move in and out of our town. Oh and if there is no adequate police protection that number who will live here will surely rise. If you don’t think it will you are sadly mistaken.
Insider, are you saying that the DPW secretary receives no health insurance coverage from the Village at all? Please!
As Franko pointed out this is not to bash her. It is simply to point out some misrepresentation on your part.
John You seemed to know alot about the budget and board…..Are you one of them or are you a friends??? By the way CHIEF is spelled like this, NOT CHEIF
I work in the budgeting field and I live in the village and I’d like to make a few observations. When cuts are required you normally follow a basic template.
A) Approach each department and ask them to do an internal analysis and report back detailing their worst case scenario cuts that still leave them functional.
B) Review the reports each department submits and prioritize in order of necessity.
C) Cut the least essential expenses in all departments. (Not necessarily everything they report they can do without).
If the budgeting goal still isn’t met you may have to cut whole departments rather than leaving them dysfunctional because that is a further waste of money.
If I were to apply the above rules to the Village of Gouverneur’s budgeting woes I would start by cutting all funding to the recreation center activities. This includes the annual $40,000 wage the department head makes and the additional small savings incurred by not partially employing assistants. The River Walk was a needless expense but obviously can’t be cut from the budget now and what yearly maintenance that is required is unavoidable at this juncture.
Now you move into the hard territory but I think we can all agree that the police department is the LAST place you go to when it comes to effecting officer personnel levels much less go to them solely and ask them to find $250,000.
Costs have risen exponentially this year. It’s a fact of life. But another multi-digit tax increase isn’t indicative of that. All around bad budgeting is.
My experience in small town politics is non existent but why can’t a review be done concerning the expansion of the village to include more tax payers? Maybe a proration of taxes could be rendered for the former township residents who won’t benefit from the village sewer or water systems but do currently benefit from our Village Police officers. This would probably create havoc regarding redistricting and zoning laws but at this point I think everything is on the table considering we’re looking at a massive cut in police protection.
I’d rather maintain the level of security the village currently enjoys thanks to the men and women of the GPD if at all possible and I do think it’s an obtainable goal providing a little ingenuity.
I have read all of the above comments and there are some good points. I for one hate to see anyone lose their jobs ,just ask any one of the 125 people from Gouverneur Talc or the 200 from Zinc what their future holds for them. Nobody wants to pay higher taxes, but no matter what we do, they will rise. Who is going to pick up the slack when the mines officially close and reclamation is done to their properties? Do you really think another buyer is going to be found in the near future for the Zinc mines? The minerals have been exhausted and what is left can’t be mined cost effectively.
I currently work in another local mining industry who has also experienced enormous increases in production costs. Rising fuel, electricity, phone services, property and school taxes, benefits etc.
We have been asked by our headquarters to cut costs but on the other hand we must increase production. At one time, our office staff consisted of 5 people. As people left , the positions were never filled, but the work was still there. We are down to 2 people doing the same amount of work for the same pay.
There are ways to reduce costs without cutting staff. I agree with CA regarding the fact that each department needs to look as to where cuts can be made. I also agree that serious cuts need to come from the recreation department. Do we really need a full time Director who gets paid almost twice as much as our laborers who work shift work and weekends and has experienced first hand the effects of down sizing? The employees who work part time as his assistants pretty much do the work. I know this because my daughter worked for the program for over a year and these people plan the daily events for the kids? What does he do? Again, I hate to see a job lost, but can it be cut to part time? Increase his responsibilities rather than passing it to the part timers? Has anyone been following the sports programs at GHS lately? When was the last time any given team won two events in a row? I think volunteers from the sports program at GHS would be beneficial to the athletes and the kids.
Before we lose any more jobs in this community, I feel the board needs to take another look at where cuts can be made. Ask yourselves….do we need it or do we want it before you go and spend the tax payers money on wasted purchases. Ask yourselves, is there away to eliminate or reduce overtime? Is there a way to reduce energy costs?
In my industry, we have been faced with the facts that if we want to keep our jobs, we will reduce our costs whether we agree with the reductions or not. I hope the village can do the same without eliminating the police force.
The Village taxpers of Gouverneur can no longer afford to support the surrounding towns and community’s which is apparently what we do what with the one State Police car that’s on duty at any given time by providing our village funded officers as an option. Regarding the great point brought up about the fire department, who dispatches for the State Police? Can’t they relay weak fire signals to our Fire Department? I mean they’re a stone’s throw away. (Our fire department is wonderful by the way - God bless you) How about a little objective thinking for the benefit of the Village taxpayer for a change? We’re being assaulted with threats of rampant violence versus unaffordable tax hikes. Before long we’ll simply be Richville but with a fully staffed police force. The village is drowning and I commend the board and the mayor for doing the right but hard thing. In the end I wish there were a way for all to keep their jobs.. I support our good officers too! But I can’t afford this. I just can’t afford it. I’m sorry.
I too am concerned about the loss of our police dept or any part thereof. I agree that the board needs to look at all depts, including the recreation dept. if cuts need to be made, especially cuts this large. As a homeowner in charge of the family budget (as I believe many of you are also) we have learned to evaluate necessities a little more carefully…we are spending our “own” money. I certainly had to make some adjustments when we had the recent increase in village taxes. I’ll bet you all did too. But I also bet you didn’t quit buying groceries or gas to pay your taxes. You probably cut out the extra movies or pizzas or cut back on shopping trips. You all looked at your budgets and thought “where can I cut back to make up for this higher bill?” That’s what we all do. We don’t have the option of going to our boss and saying “I need you to pay me more because my expenses are more than I planned.”
Now it’s up to the board to do the same thing as all the property owners responsible for paying their salaries. Take another look.
There’s always something that can be cut. Personally, I think a police dept that is functional is “necessary” to the village of Gouverneur.
This issue if far more reaching than just people losing their jobs. Its about how the potential loss of those jobs will effect service. And in the end if there is no service at all how will it effect all who reside in Gouverneur.
To Sad, the State Police are dispatched from Canton not at the new trooper barracks from next door of the fire station. The Gouverneur barracks are not fully manned. There may be numerous times during the day that you could go to their door and have to use the little red phone to get help because there is no one to answer the door. At least if you have an emergency and go to the door of the Gouverneur Police someone is there to let you in and deal with your issue.
state police do not man there building 24 hours a day. So they would not be able to page the fire dept or squad for a call.
Get ready, county taxes are going up, too!
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20081007/NEWS05/310077084/-1/news/Spending+plan+hikes+levy+8+percent
County taxes going up and the Village will probably still believe the County can cover for our police. And there may be a $100,000 cut in the probation department…boy can’t wait to how that will effect us too.
I have been told that at the Sept. board meeting, after the board had already told the chief of police to cut $250,000 from his budget, that they approved an amount of money requested by the wife of one of the board members for some play group to come to the recreation center. Does anyone know what that was about? Now if we are in such dire straits I don’t think it is wise to be donating money to ANYTHING!!! I guess this line of thinking is why we are in the financial mess we are in. Cut the recreation center!!! I don’t have anything to do with that place and I would rather have my tax dollars pay for police protection.
Village of Gouverneur tax increases since 1999:
Budget year % Taxes Raised Accumulative
1999-2000 5.00% 5.00%
2000-2001 3.50% 8.68%
2001-2002 5.00% 14.11%
2002-2003 5.80% 20.73%
2003-2004 7.60% 29.91%
2004-2005 3.00% 33.81%
2005-2006 3.75% 38.83%
2006-2007 2.00% 41.61%
2007-2008 5.00% 48.69%
2008-2009 21.40% 80.51%
The last figure, furthest right (80.51%), represents the total percentage that village taxes have increased in 10 years.
(Using 1999-2000 as a baseline).
I HAVE READ MORE THEN ONCE ABOUT THE REC CENTER. WELL THE REC CENTER WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES TO BE ALLOWED!!!! IT IS A HANG-OUT AND THAT IS ALL IT IS. THE SUPERVISION THERE IS “NOT” UP TO PAR. MY GRANDSON IS NOT ALLOWED TO GO THERE ANY MORE . DIFFERENT AGES TOGETHER IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. I STILL SEE KIDS OUT ON THE STREETS THAT SHOULD BE HOME!!! 10 YR, OLDS, EVEN SMALLER THAN THAT HANGING OUT IN TOWN AT NIGHT. EVEN DURING THE DAY THE LITTLE ONES ARE OUT JUST BUMING . WHERE ARE THE PARENTS??? I COULD REALLY GO ON WITH THIS, BUT YOU ALL KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!!! THE REC CENTER HAS DONE NO GOOD FOR THE KIDS OF GOUV. ALSO THE RIVER WALK IS A LAUGH. JUST ONE TIME I WAS TO LOOK AT THE WALK AND HERE WERE FOUR KIDS DOWN UNDER THE WALK IN THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. YA KNOW WHAT GETS ME??? PEOPLE WHO JUST VOTE “YES” ON THINGS WHEN THEY REALLY DON’T WANT TO. TO BAD JOE HOUSE DIDN’T GET VOTED IN TO MAYOR. JOE IS NO DUMMY BY ANY MEANS OF THE WORD!!!!!!! VERY SMART MAN . THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIM AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT JOE WAS THE HONEST ONE AND HE KNEW EXACTALLY WHAT CRAP WAS GOING ON AND SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS DID NOT LIKE THIS. DOROTHY, YOU NEED TO GET OUT !!!!! I DIDN’T VOTE FOR YOU THE 1ST TIME NOR THE 2ND. IN FACT ALL THE VILLAGE BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO GO. YA NEED HONEST PEOPLE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE MESS YOU GUYS HAVE MADE. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT A WIFE OF ONE OF THE VILLAGE BOARD MEMBERS HAS REQUESTED FOR A PLAY GROUP AT THE REC CENTER AND HAS BEEN ALLOWED MONIES THROUGH THE VILLAGE BOARD????????????????????????????
I HAVE READ ALOT OF GOOD ARGUMENTS HERE IN THIS BLOG AND ONE THING REALLY BOTHERS ME. WE THE RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS OF THE VILLAGE OF GOUVERNEUR NEED TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THE BOARD. THEY CAN NOT BE TRUSTED. THEY DO THINGS WITHOUT INFORMING WE THE PEOPLE AND ALSO FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THEY KNOW WON’T AGREE WITH THEIR LINE OF THOUGHT. GO TO ANY BOARD MEETING AND YOU MAY SEE A TOTAL OF 10 PEOPLE THERE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THAT’S A CRYING SHAME. WE NEED TO HOLD THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTION AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS WISELY. IF WE HAD PAID ATTENTION WOULD WE BE IN THE MESS WE ARE NOW. WOULD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHORTFALLS OF THE BOARD. WOULD WE HAVE ALLOWED A BOARD MEMBER IN WHO CLEARLY HAS HIS OWN AGENDA. (SEE MONEY GAVE TO HIS WIFE) A MAYOR WHO HAS COMPLETED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN HER CAMPAIGN SPEACH TO THE TAXPAYERS. ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER WHO DOES WHATEVER THE 1ST TWO TELL HIM AND LASTLY ONE BOARD MEMBER WHO KNOWS NOTHING BECAUSE THE REST OF HIS PEERS CHOOSE NOT TO TELL HIM ANYTHING. THE VILLAGE AGAIN HAS BECOME A CIRCUS LIKE BEFORE AND WE TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN. TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE I SAY MARCH ON. YOU HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS COME AND GO. MOST COME WITH AN AGENDA TO RUIN IN A YEAR OR TWO WHAT YOU HAVE SPENT A CAREER BUILDING.
The amount of taxes we already pay is too much and the fact that they will be increased up to 21% is pathetic. I have one more year until I can sell and get out of Gouverneur NY. I don’t know (being military) if we will stay near Drum or go elsewhere but I won’t be staying here because these taxes are killing us. Close to $5000.00 for town, village, and school taxes a year. Just can’t do it anymore on a soldier’s salary. Bye bye…
I agree that there aren’t many people in the village to go to the village meetings so that they can contribute to the decisions our board makes. There are only a few on the board that actually try to make it better for our village. I for one would like to see the costly things that are making it more expensive gone….for instance…our meter maid….I really don’t think that is a necessity for our tiny little town. As for our wonderful mayor…it’s time she’s voted OUT!
A village cutting the funds of a department that provides safety for its inhabitants is the exact opposite of what it is put in place to do. The State Troopers and the Sheriffs have a very large area to cover, from Popes Mills to Cranberry Lake, to Harrisville, I believe? In the event of a serious accident inside the village, I want someone there immediately. I cant believe that cutting the police department is not avoidable, there must be another way. 40% is a lot to just throw away. John Locke’s theory of “consent of the governed” is one of which this country was based on, right? Majority rules? 2/3rds vote? I believe you will find that the majority of people in this village are against this action. This action is about money, why cant the village just blend the cuts throughout the departments? Put yourself in Mr. Dave Whitton’s shoes and try to take your budget for your own home, and drop it 40%. Hard to do isn’t it? The board should believe the citizens it is put in place to protect and serve, and find an alternative, without raising taxes. It would make them look better in history, if they in fact struggled and won through a financial hard time, rather than just took the easy way out. I am by no means an expert on these matters, but jeopardizing my safety isn’t what a controlling body of consent is supposed to do. A lot of people posting here are just hard left, or hard right. No middle ground or compromise, blending the cuts throughout the departments, including the benefits of all village employees, would save a ton of money.
Brian the Meter Maid pays for her own salary. She writes enough tickets that fines are paid and she also does the schoolcrossing at no expense to the Village, they added that to her job with no increase of pay.
As to the board member that is saying yes to HIS WIFE for MONEY that we do not have. Since they have asked the chief to cut the budget 250,000 that the board is saying we desperately need to cut, he the board member should take the money out of his OWN BUSINESS and give it to her. It seems to me that that board member just has the agenda to get rid of the police deparment and not because the money situation, or his WIFE would have been told NO, we cant afford it.
I don’t see a lot of comments supporting the board anymore. Don’t any of you want to comment on the money donated by the board for some play group when we are in such economic times or are you finally realizing the board is part of the problem?
Cut the PD, cut the DPW, cut the Rec Dept…
Good ideas. Get rid of it all…Dissolve the village!
Wow SJS, we were just discussing that very fact last evening with a group of neighbors. There is no reason that we need the Village of Gouverneur in the Town of Gouverneur……Now, how to get rid of it?
Dissolve the Village you say? Where would that get you? Village residents would still be responsible for paying off the current Village debt. Town taxes would raise to supplement the additional amount of staff that the Town would have to hire to address the needs of the residents of the Village. You would be paying the same total tax amount, if not more, it just won’t be broken up into Town tax and Village tax, it would be just one, larger, Town tax. Village services would diminish greatly. PD-gone; Village Offices-gone; street lights-gone; brush pick up-gone; Rec-Center-probably just reduced; snow plowing-reduced………