Clay Township police levy is a renewal
Brookville Star
2019-10-30
Kay Dawson
Contributing Writer
CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township voters will decide the fate of a 3.25-mill police levy on the November 5 ballot. Township officials stressed that this is a renewal of a levy that is expiring and will not cost the residents anything extra.
“I can’t believe it’s been five years already,” said Trustee President Steve Woolf. “Having a strong police force is always necessary, but recent activity, such as the shooting outside the government building, and more activity along the I-70 corridor, has made good quality police protection more important than ever.”
Police chief John Van Gundy said, “We are only trying to maintain our current funding.”
He also told trustees at the Oct. 21 meeting that the department has taken steps that mean the 2020 Montgomery County Crime Lab fees will be a bit lower.
“Before, we would send all evidence down to be tested,” he explained to the Brookville Star later. “But we found that with some minor misdemeanors, such as possession of a very small amount of marijuana, the person would pay the fine and the case would be over with before we got the report back. Now we only send the evidence down for testing if the case will go to trial.”
He also noted that other agencies in the area have obtained certified technicians and can help out for a lower fee on occasion.
Trustee Dave Vore, a former Montgomery County Sheriff, noted at a recent trustee meeting that “the police department has made tremendous strides in the last five years, not only with run-of-the-mill matters but with the big deals. That shooting last fall was handled about as well as anything I’ve seen.”
“I can’t believe it’s been five years already,” said Trustee President Steve Woolf. “Having a strong police force is always necessary, but recent activity, such as the shooting outside the government building, and more activity along the I-70 corridor, has made good quality police protection more important than ever.”
Police chief John Van Gundy said, “We are only trying to maintain our current funding.”
He also told trustees at the Oct. 21 meeting that the department has taken steps that mean the 2020 Montgomery County Crime Lab fees will be a bit lower.
“Before, we would send all evidence down to be tested,” he explained to the Brookville Star later. “But we found that with some minor misdemeanors, such as possession of a very small amount of marijuana, the person would pay the fine and the case would be over with before we got the report back. Now we only send the evidence down for testing if the case will go to trial.”
He also noted that other agencies in the area have obtained certified technicians and can help out for a lower fee on occasion.
Trustee Dave Vore, a former Montgomery County Sheriff, noted at a recent trustee meeting that “the police department has made tremendous strides in the last five years, not only with run-of-the-mill matters but with the big deals. That shooting last fall was handled about as well as anything I’ve seen.”