A piece of interesting news from Hubbardston, MA;

Police Chief Dennis Perron could be the Chief that other Towns need to look to. In an article in The Gardner News, page one & four, weekend edition March 19-20, 2016, the Chief states "he doesn't see the need for a secure lock-up. With the advent of the regular lock-up being built in West Boylston, I don't see the need for a secure lock-up in this station." "That one meets the standards that we need to meet, Detainees can also be brought to Rutland." Chief Perron also went on to say "officers would have to watch detainees 24-7 in the station, adding to costs. He added that a temporary booking pocess will do, moving detainees somewhere else immediately after." Could Chief Perron be the one who is being honest and practical when talking about taxpayer dollars? To be sure, Chief Perron and Fire Chief Hayes are trying to get a police/fire complex funded and built in Hubbardston, but Chief Perron seem to be doing what most chiefs and department heads do, embellish their importance and their need for big spacious buildings that require this and that.

This is a Chief I would like to talk to and find out what is really involved in taking a prisoner to say the West Boylston lock-up, as in who watches them after they arrive there and who is responsible for transport to say Gardner district court.  I think we can look at the schools for ideas, regionalized school districts because it does not make sense for Templeton to have a high school and Phillipston to have a high school with all the associated costs involved in two buildings versus one. Just like it is a good business decision to close three old school buildings and go to one, you only have one furnace to operate and maintain, one parking lot to plow, etc, etc. The money pie is only so big and with everyone going after pie, the slices are getting thinner/smaller and smaller and perhaps not to far off, their is simply not going to be enough pie to go around.

Speaking of pie, the Templeton dispatch pie is getting expensive, especially for Templeton pie bakers (taxpayers) with them providing the pie dish, the oven and the gas to cook the pie. My opinion is this; divide the pie and the costs associated with it in half and then send half the costs to Phillipston in the form of a bill. It is time for Templeton residents/taxpayers to get an even break and it is time for Phillipston residents/taxpayers to pay their fair share. That needs to come via the Templeton Board of Selectmen, time for them to stand up for Templeton and negotiate a tough but fair contract with Phillipston concerning dispatch. It is time for selectmen to stick up for the people who elect them, Templeton residents. It is simply business, nothing personal.

Jeff Bennett