The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

Breaking News

DOROTHY MOLLON	EDWIN WERDERMAN
JAMES CRANNY	JOHN PELCZER
LORRAINE OSTEN-GREENIA	MARILYN KRIEWALL
MARISSA BOLLINI	MARJORIE RENNY
MAUREEN NASIEROWSKI	PAUL UERLING
RUTH McCLEARY	WITOLD BORONSKI
Browse Full Text...

» Inside

Public Notices
Links
About Us
News Stands
Subscriptions
Editorial Forms
Archives

» Deadlines

Friday, 2 pm
Inserts

Friday, Noon
Retail Display
Editorial

Monday, Noon
Classified Display
Service Directory Display

Monday, 2 pm
Service Directory Liners

Monday, 3 pm
Classified Liners

All Holiday Deadlines are One Full Workday Earlier

You are Viewing an Archived Issue

Posted: 02/13/13

Village to seek other
options for police move

by KIMBERLY SCHERER
Observer Special Writer

      Instead of voting to approve the police department's move to the former WBRW headquarters on Morton Street, the Village of Romeo's Board of Trustees voted Monday instead to seek out additional plans from other buildings in the village.
       Trustee Matt Edwards made the motion for Police Chief Greg Paduch to seek out other options. Edwards said he received feedback after last month's meeting from residents who wanted to keep the police department in its current location.
       "I think we should look at our options," said Trustee Robert Hart.
       Paduch had plans drawn up for the Morton Street location that would suit their needs. The renovations would cost about $90,000.
       If the board voted Monday to approve the department's move to that location, then Paduch would have been able to apply for a $22,000 grant, which would pay for camera equipment and ballistic gear. With the approaching deadline of the grant, and no solid plans in hand, he had to let the grant go.
       Seeking out additional plans will also cost the department an extra $10,000 to move the dispatch system.
       In Edwards' motion, he asked Paduch to seek plans to utilize the current village offices as space for police. He had suggested moving the offices to Morton instead, but Village President Mike Lee said that he was pretty sure that according to their village blueprint, they had to stay in the downtown area.
       "This is the third month in a row that we've asked for more information," Lee said, "So, are we going to bring him (Paduch) back again knowing that we're probably going to lose the grant money because we don't have the specifications or what we're going to do with it and also if we move it, we will lose another $10,000?"
       "I think you've got to at least look at what the people are saying," said Trustee Christine Malzahn.
       In the end, the board voted 5-1 in favor of seeking other plans. Lee voted no and Trustee Mike Cregar was absent. Paduch is also authorized to seek plans for the fire station if he chooses. The cost for both is not to exceed $1,500, and would be paid for from the Cable Fund.