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Gold Hill ponders policing Council wants ideas on providing law enforcement By Buffy Pollock GOLD HILL � City Council members will seek residents� comments on how to solve the city�s law enforcement problems during a public safety meeting Monday. The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall. Council members will present three options for continued law enforcement protection: - Build a new police department; - Continue to contract with the Jackson County Sheriff�s Department; - Create a service district. How to pay for these options has yet to be determined. City Recorder Tony Paxton said that while building and staffing a new department would offer round-the-clock protection, it would also be the most expensive. "We just have to see what the people want us to do," he said. Council member Donna Silva said she felt keeping the contract with the sheriff�s department offered the "cleanest solution for the city." The sheriff�s department has provided coverage for the city since September when the police department disbanded because of personnel problems and warnings from the city�s insurance company about liability. The city pays the sheriff�s department $61 an hour, with charges accruing while deputies respond to calls. But recent staffing shortages have led the county to cut services; now deputies handle only emergency calls. Disbanding the department caused the city to lose a $140,000 grant awarded in August 1997 from the Department of Justice. The grant would have paid for the equivalent of 1.5 officers. Paxton said the city will reapply for the grant when it decides on a plan for police protection. The third option, incorporating into a service district, would require a tax levy and would include outlying communities currently relying on the sheriff�s department for emergency protection only. Council member Mike Hicks said he worried about how many people would show up for the meeting. "Excluding council spouses, we usually get two people, maybe. I guess people are busy, but we need them to show up. That�s the only way we can get any kind of input and know we�re going in the right direction," Hicks said. Regardless of what is decided for long-term coverage, Paxton said, the council must vote on another short-term solution before the new budget year begins July 1. "We�re going to need to have some direction from council on where they want funds spent now," said Paxton, adding that the council would likely decide to continue its contract with the sheriff�s department. Paxton said questions discussed at the meeting would be compiled into a survey to be including in a future water bill. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.