Manager Suggests Camera Surveillance
By M. D. Drysdale

Town Manager Peter Butterfield is exploring the possibiliy of using surveillance cameras at the Randolph gazebo, following continuing complaints. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

Frustrated by continued and widespread minor vandalism to town property, Town Manager Peter Butterfield last week floated a proposal to post video surveillance equipment in the area of the downtown gazebo, and perhaps at other locations.

He brought up the idea at the July 16 selectboard meeting. The idea needs investigating, he said this week, on two levels.

First is price. Second is the philosophy of the selectboard regarding surveillance, which has become increasingly common in both American and European cities.

The manager's suggestion came after a string of crimes. The one that really motivated him, he said, occurred when a Main Street resident saw youths at the gazebo area apparently trying to climb up to knock the Garden Club's flower pots off the light fixture.

The resident went out with a camera to record the event. She was spotted, however, and for her trouble a soda can was thrown through the window of her home, breaking the glass.

"That brought the gazebo in focus in my mind," Butterfield declared, and made him wonder about the possibility of surveillance cameras.

This was not an isolated incident, however, he said. The concession stand at the Little League field has been broken into four times this year. Twice youths have scaled the high fence into the swimming pool area, and just recently two windows have been broken at the skating rink warming hut, and one was broken at the library.

"It's discouraging," the manager said. "We have an ambitious park infrastructure without the ability to manage it so that it's an asset to everyone.

"I'm trying to find a way we can be in more places at once."

He stressed he is not committed to the surveillance idea, though he has contacted three companies to come to town and give him some figures.

"I'm just running it up the flag," he said. He said the selectboard didn't indicate much about their druthers at first hearing his idea.