Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 23, 1991 TAG: 9103230150
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The town had already done away with its dispatching office. Calls to the Dublin Police Department have gone through dispatchers at the sheriff's office since mid-1988.
Council discussed abolishing the police department Thursday night. But some council members said Friday they were not sure they wanted to take that step.
"I'd rather see our own Police Department," said Councilwoman Elsie Repass. "It was new to me. I was kind of floored over it."
"The suggestion was just made last night [Thursday] and that was the first I heard of it," said another council member who said he would not have spoken if he was identified.
"It was discussed in executive session but there was no action taken," Councilman Colbern Linkous said. "We were instructed to make our comments to the Finance Committee as they worked on the budget."
The Finance Committee consists of Billy Pierce, Sam Gregory and Dr. David Stanley. Stanley had already enlivened Thursday's council open meeting before the executive session by suggesting that council consider dropping Dublin's charter and becoming part of the county.
Stanley had supported the proposed consolidation of Dublin with the county when it went before the voters in 1983, a period between the times he has served on council.
Asked Friday about the police discussion, he said, "I'm just saying `No comment' at this point."
The consolidation was rejected by more than 73 percent of those voting in Dublin in 1983.
Town Administrator Gary Elander said Friday he could not comment on what was discussed in the closed session, which lasted about 90 minutes. Council voted to go into closed session as part of its agenda to discuss legal, personnel and real estate matters, and Elander said each of those was discussed.
Dublin now has seven police officers. The town has paid $18,000 a year for one county dispatcher's salary, after turning its dispatching duties over to the sheriff's office.
The town also would save money if it paid for three deputies instead of six policemen.
In response to a question from Linkous, Elander had supplied the costs of operating the town police department in recent years. The totals were $149,654 in 1985; $153,339 in 1986; $165,733 in 1987; $170,291 in 1988; $181,177 in 1989 and $203,896 in 1990. A reimbursed state grant and anticipated insurance settlement would reduce the 1990 figure to $191,086.
by CNB