CHAUNCEY MEMBER OF COUNCIL
Three Questions
What do you propose for increased
law enforcement in Chauncey?
McClain:
We need to have police patrolling our streets again so we can get our village rid of drugs, drug dealers and thieves. I’d like to get a police committee together to take a look at our finances and see what and where we can budget to allow our village to once again have police protection.
Henry:
I do think that Chauncey needs a marshal, but I also think that we need to secure funding before we hire one.
Limo:
I’d work with the Mayor to take a closer look at the budget. Then I would look to find a way to make the funds available for this vital service that is badly needed in this village. The village is obligated to provide police services to its residents.
Once a working police department in the village is re established then that will open up the way to look for additional federal stimulus money and other grants that may be available to help fund an existing police department. At that point the village can work together with the Athens County Sheriff.
John Canter:
There has been a lack of supervision and accountability for past appointed law enforcement officers. Before any productive discussions can be had concerning hiring a marshal, all elected officials must agree to work together for the betterment of our community. We need to recognize and remedy the financial challenges identified in our recent audit and develop long-term goals and a plan to get us where we need to be in a fiscally responsible manner. Only then can increased law enforcement be a reality through identifying avenues to fund the marshal on a long-term basis.
What do you think can be done to
get flood insurance protection back for Chauncey residents?
McClain:
We need to first look at where the village officials have defaulted and violatedthe FEMA ordinance then once the village officials haves corrected their violations we, has a community can pull together and do something about our flood area and help those that need to be in compliant.
Henry:
Chauncey officials must get a complete list of all resident that are not in compliance and work with each resident to bring them into compliance
Limo:
Getting responsible council members in office who will start looking after the best interest of Chauncey residents is a vital step in order for Chauncey to be reinstated back into the national Flood Insurance Program. The residents who need this flood insurance should be able to obtain it.
Flood insurance may in time be attained again for the
village residents but it will take a lot of work and someone responsible enough
to oversee that the village comes into compliance with our own Floodplain
Village Hazard Ordinance. Village
officials have been out of compliance with Fema for
over 23 years.
John Canter:
Chauncey has been non-compliant for over two decades and has made little or no effort to become compliant until recently. We have already developed a plan to address those properties affected by the loss of FEMA flood insurance and the new village administrator and employees are working daily to address non-compliance issues on a case-by-case basis. FEMA officials are not our enemy and did not drop coverage in Chauncey without cause. They are reasonable people and I believe that once they see we are making great progress towards compliance they will re-instate flood insurance for those in the flood plain.
Drug abuse is a big issue in the county’s rural
communities. What should be done about it?
McClain:
Enabling police to patrol our village streets again would be a great start in cutting down on the drugs and drug use in our village. By cutting out the police department we have opened our village up to drugs dealers. We need the presence of police in our community and we need the resident’s to get more involved and to report any infractions that may be happening and once an arrest is made we need to make sure that they are sentenced to more than a pat on the hand.
Henry:
I think the Sheriff’s Office is doing a good job with drug problems in the communities.
Limo:
Creating decent paying jobs in these communities and educating our children when they are young may be one way to help curb this breakdown of drug abuse and dependency in our rural communities. Decent paying jobs also give individuals self esteem and less dependence on drugs.
We need rehab programs to help those who want to help themselves. Passing more legislation making drug dealing fines stiffer and requiring more mandatory jail time for selling these illegal drugs especially to minors may be another answer. Also there needs to be a more visible police presence around are homes, schools and community.
John Canter:
Addressing drug abuse has to be a two pronged approach that deals with drug manufacturers/dealers and those who buy drugs. Sherriff Pat Kelly and C. David Warren have done a great job of sending a clear message that they intend to pursue drug traffickers and users and prosecute them. Increased economic development would create job opportunities and replace drug use to fill that void which leads to using and selling drugs to provide income. Improving high-school graduation rates and providing more opportunities for graduates to attend college would also have a positive effect on rural communities.