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Residents press town on park safety and lack of local police coverage
Summary
Residents raised safety concerns after recent events and asked about law enforcement coverage; the presiding official said the town relies on the county sheriff’s department, urged reporting of suspicious activity and said staff are working on park design and interim measures to limit dangerous access.
During the meeting an attendee raised worries about safety in a town park and about the absence of a local police force. The presiding official said, "we don't have police force here... I would urge you to call sheriff's department and report it," and explained the town relies on the county sheriff for patrols.
The presiding official said recent events on July 6 caused the council to "rethink where things were positioned in that park" and that the town had spent months planning changes to reduce flood damage and to make it harder for people to drive into the park. The official added that interim measures would be explored and that he would "talk to Brad" and staff about what could be done quickly to discourage dangerous activity.
A resident cautioned that installing additional lighting as an interim safety measure could be costly, especially given an upcoming comprehensive renovation of the area. Councilors did not record any decision in the transcript excerpt to create a local police force; instead, the presiding official described relying on the sheriff and said the town may need to consider a police department in the future.
What happens next: The presiding official said staff would examine interim options for access control and security and follow up with council discussion.
