Bonding & Safety

This past Wednesday night there was an EH Board of Finance meeting, Mayor Maturo (who chairs the board) has attended two meetings since taking office, one must surmise that there was one item very important to the Mayor’s agenda. That important item was the vote to bond 1.25 million dollars for the single dispatch center for our safety services. Maturo knew that he would be the deciding vote. Maturo shows up and clumsily chaired the BOF meeting. While our taxes are increasing, he attempted to handle questions about the bond package; his answers were agitated and rude. I encourage you to watch the BOF Meeting on ETV for proof.

While the Mayor touts a 450k budget surplus, he is looking to bond 1.25 million with an additional bond package in the works per the BOF meeting. It doesn’t sound like there’s a surplus. There’s a right time and wrong time to borrow, maybe this isn’t the time. LET ME BE CLEAR… I’m not saying the single dispatch center is the right or the wrong thing. I’m saying that we have a small pile of lawsuits to contend with, much of our town equipment is in shambles and the economy hasn’t exactly rebounded.

 Fast forward to Thursday night at the EH Beach house, approximately 40 EH residents voiced concerns about unsafe beach parking. Though the Chief and Deputy Chief were in attendance, our Mayor was absent; strange since he touted safety when it came to bonding just one night earlier. Chief Larrabee gave discouraging answers. Directing residents to the Police Commission with complaints, because EHPD couldn’t currently enforce parking violations based on lack of manpower. If forced to bond, maybe we should be bonding for more officers, who can work the street and the dispatch center. How many officers can we get for 1.2 million?

Publically telling potential criminals the EHPD cannot enforce laws because we don’t have enough manpower is very concerning. It’s a blue print for potential violators. Choose your words carefully Chief, you came across as a “pass the buck” leader.

Start leading Joe—stop showing up out of obligation-you work for us.

Moreover, fix the police problem and tell the Chief to stop forecasting our department’s street level deficiencies.

Unfortunately, as residents, we’re watching / feeling the decline.