Police District
May Be Enlarged
By M. D. Drysdale

A newly-energized Police Advisory Committee has decided to "stop talking" about enlarging the Randolph police district and to take action.

That's what Dawn Butterfield told the rest of the Randolph selectboard Tuesday night at its regular meeting at Randolph Technical Career Center.

She reported on a talk with Police Chief Jim Krakowiecki about the possibility of expanding police service to the whole town. Currently, the police district exists just in the downtown area, within the confines of the old chartered Village. The district does not include the commerial area on South Main Street nor the industrial section on South Pleasant St. Ext. Also, it does not extend to most rural areas of town or to Randolph Center and East Randolph.

Because residents outside the district do not get police coverage, they do not pay taxes for it. Residents of the district, on the other hand, pay a substantial extra tax to support the Police Department.

Butterfield said that Chief K has agreed to put together a proposal regarding what extra resources the Department would need in order to cover the whole town—and how much more money it would require.

The Police Advisory Committee will take that information and determine what the tax effects would be.

In recent years, it has been proposed just to expand the district to South Pleasant St. Extension and South Main Street. That proposal was unanimously voted down by the residents who would be added to the district.

Extending the district to the entire town, however, can be done without a separate vote of the residents to be added.

"It is the feeling of the Police Committee that we need to take this issue seriously," Butterfield said.

The commission, somewhat expanded this summer, consists of Butterfield, Priscilla Smith, Dennis Brown, Allen Wright, George Trask, Rita Hall, and Dominic Delia.

Butterfield also announced receipt of a $1000 grant for drug interdiction.

Tennis, Anyone?

Butterfield, who is also liaison to the Recreation Committee, made a pitch on behalf of the town tennis courts.

It seems that in the past some $53,000 in recreation funds were committed to repair of the School Street courts, she told the Board. Those funds got temporarily mixed up with the skating rink funds and were forgotten about, she said. At the time, she explained, it was discovered that the Town actually didn't own the recreation field, but it was eventually transferred from the Randolph Alumni organization.

Now, however, a group of Randolph tennis players has offered to try to raise more money if the town will agree to spend the $53,000 on court repair, she said.

The group, led by tennis guru Chuck Webb, hopes to raise as much as $25,000 or $40,000. The combined total would allow rebuilding of the courts and all-new lighting, she said.

Currently, the courts are so decrepit and unsafe they really shouldn't be used, Butterfield said.

Although the selectboard was a bit curious about the history of the $53,000, it agreed, by formal motion, to make those moneys available for tennis court repairs provided sufficient extra money can be raised.

Roof Can Stay

The selectboard, with the agreement of Zoning Administrator Mardee Sanchez, agreed to allow Matthew Billow to keep a shed roof he has constructed at his home at 169 Dylan Drive.

The matter was complicated by the fact that the roof, and part of the adjoining workshop, are built on an extension of town right-of-way that nobody knew about.

It was determined that the town does not need that right of way and will probably deed it back to Billow.

In the meantime, the workshop and garage can stay.

Braintree Offer

The selectboard tabled the latest offer from Braintree to pay $33,630 for fire protection, in addition to two $5000 payments in the next two years.

Assessor Patrick French said that was still $10,000 too little, based on the past contract. Hutchinson said he would continue to discuss the matter with Braintree.

Saving Farmland

The Conservation Commission, through Selectman Steve Springer, asked for a board statement to enable the Pinello farm in South Randolph to "conserve" their entire 244-acre farm with the Vermont Land Trust.

The selectboard agreed to write a letter that such a program is "consistent with the town plan and zoning."

Springer noted that the Land Trust is discussing using $5000 to $10,000 from the town's Conservation Fund to assist with the administrative details of the deal. That would require further approval of the board.

Enforcement Event

Butterfield announced that in May, the Boys and Girls Club will host a community event put on by the National Order of Black Law Enforcement Officers.

The full-day procedure will discuss various law enforcement issues and try to come up with an action plan.

Salary Increased

At the recommendation of Acting Town Manager Joe Voci, the salary of Highway Foreman Rob Runnals was increased from $36,078 to $38,980.

That is the same salary recently voted for Aaron Perez, who heads the water and sewer department. Even with a 4% salary increase due in July, those salaries will barely match the state average for comparable jobs, Voci told the board.