Clayton Hill
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
As a follow-up to my previous letter questioning the need for a second story to the police department building, I offer an expansion of that letter. I read the budget articles and councilmen's opinions in Sundays News Tribune. Voiced opinion concerned the need to increase revenue and possible press for a use tax. I came away with an overall view that our city government's primary goal is to grow government - not increase services, making what we have better or improve efficiency. It is unfortunate that most of our city elected do not voice and have similar opinions of spending responsibilities as 4th Ward Councilman Ron Fitzwater.
Some time ago the Police Department operated a satellite office in leased space at the mall. That appeared to me to be a novel idea that made sense. Due to cost, I believe it was discontinued. However, I don't remember the whole discussion. Doctors have recognized the value of dispersing service by establishing pain centers remote from main practices for years. As the city evidently has recognized value in combining spaces as in the LU/Parks Department LINC project, the same approach could be accomplished with the police and fire departments.
My prior letter mentioned that patrol cars are the new concept of essentially mobile offices whereby "hard" office space may not be valid. I want to expand and combine the above and suggest as a possible alternative to expanding the main building by combining two or three Fire Department stations into joint stations. Two or so patrol units could easily be placed at each of these facilities with minimal construction or interference. As the fire stations are manned 24 hours per day, security is already there, and each of the three distant fire stations are surrounded or adjacent to public use entities or have vacant areas not currently developed. Dispersion makes sense to me both from a cost and policing perspective. With all the automation, a physical presence at the headquarters is unnecessary.