We're all ears: Hearing from you about the upcoming public safety referendum

 

If you are a resident of the city by now you should have received a letter in the mail spelling out the details of the upcoming referendum on April 2. On that day residents will be asked to weigh in at the ballot box their opinion of whether or not the city may exceed the revenue limit by $350,000 annually from here on forward. If the measure is successful it will mean continued funding for a current officer of the Chetek Police Department and the ability to hire an additional officer in order to be fully staffed. It will also mean we could add another full-time public works employee.

This is a miniaturized version of
what you should have received in the mail

City Clerk Mark Eby created the letter and in my opinion he breaks it down pretty simply into what a “yes” or a “no” vote means. Succinctly, a “yes” vote means that we can move ahead with our hiring goals (i.e., maintain one full-time officer, hire an additional full-time officer and hire a full-time public works employee). A “no” vote means that both the public safety and work expectations will remain the same but we will have insufficient staffing to fulfill those expectations.

Chetek is never without police coverage. But in the last year on account of the inability to secure part-time officers and individuals in the department either on medical leave or vacation, there have been “gaps” in local coverage. When that has happened, the County has covered us as that is what mutual aid is all about. As I understand it, on any given shift there are six deputies on patrol throughout the county. But if a few of those deputies are dealing with a matter in, say, Turtle Lake, and a 9-1-1 call comes in, as fast as they can leg it they will be on scene – provided what's going on in Turtle Lake doesn't demand their attention first. I'm oversimplifying it a bit, but I think you get the drift: you can't be everywhere at once and so as the letter states, a “no” vote means both diminished services and longer response times.

The same goes for our public works department. As you probably already are aware, our guys wear a lot of hats and there's just so much they can get done on a given day. And with the new housing development coming (i.e., the 39 acre property west of the high school that is slated for construction beginning in 2025), there's going to be a lot more people for them to serve.

Still, we are sympathetic with those who are already struggling with the current economic conditions and are leery to voting “yes” to any new taxes. Having said that, it is the council's role to bring the very best oversight to city business and it is our opinion that this option is a viable and “do-able” one.

We want to hear your questions and give you the opportunity to express your concerns about the referendum. To that end we are offering four listening sessions during the month of March. The first is this Friday, March 8 at The Center (711 First Street) during the soup and salad bar lunch from 11:30-12:30 pm. Chief Ambrozaitus, Dan Knapp, City Administrator Laura Stelzner, City Clerk Mark Eby and myself will be available to hear what you have to say. As detailed in the letter here are the other listening sessions, all of which will be held at The Center.

• Monday, March 11 at 6 pm

• Friday, March 22 at 11:30 am

• Tuesday, March 26 at 6 pm