Select Board hears police report on South End encampments, Diamond Run Mall security; Cortina fund transfer approved

The Rutland Town Select Board received a monthly police report July 15 that highlighted concentrations of calls in the town’s South End tied to several encampments and security concerns at Diamond Run Mall. Deputy and committee members reported an encampment on Ranbury Road with roughly eight to 10 people, another cluster of tents at the Seward Road solar farm, and additional tents behind the Cortina Inn and around the Diamond Run Mall. Police said calls originate from victims, third-party witnesses and participants in disputes; officers continue outreach and enforcement as appropriate. Board members discussed security at Diamond Run Mall and the mall's Act 250 permit, which the department noted still requires the mall to provide its own security. Officer Plakas reported communications indicating a commercial security vendor told police it performs only weekly checks and believes it has no current contract with the mall; the vendor said it has attempted to contact mall management. Board members directed staff to notify mall owners and to copy the mall owner’s attorney, David Gregg, on follow-up communications. The Select Board approved a finance committee recommendation to transfer unused Cortina fund money to balance the police budget. Committee notes presented at the meeting said voters had approved $150,000 of Cortina funds and that, after allocations, a deficit of approximately $12,353.98 remained; the committee recommended transferring that amount so the police budget would be balanced and an unspent remainder (reported as $41,964.77) would carry forward into the Cortina fund balance. The motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously (4-0). The board also introduced a new school resource officer, Mark Perkins, who was brought to the meeting for a brief introduction, and was updated on cruiser status — a new cruiser was at final quality-control work and expected for pickup imminently. In personnel actions, the board approved the hire of a candidate, Josh Brown (260 West Street), following a chief’s recommendation; the motion to approve Brown passed unanimously (4-0). No ordinances or changes to the Act 250 permit were adopted at the meeting. Follow-up items include staff outreach to mall ownership and attorney, continued police monitoring of encampments and community impacts, and administrative transfer of Cortina funds per the committee recommendation.