ROYALSTON — In small towns where budgets are tight, a request for even an apparently insignificant increase in a departmental budget can generate a fair amount of discussion. Such was the case at last week’s meeting of the Royalston Selectboard, when Police Chief Curtis Deveneau presented his proposed budget for the Fiscal 2021, which begins July 1.
Of Deveneau’s overall proposed FY21 budget of $103,509, just under $6,800 would allow him to increase patrols from seven hours to eight hours per day, seven days a week.
Two years ago, the town approved increasing patrols from six to seven hours each day. A proposal last year to increase them to eight hours was abandoned.
“So, I ask the same question this year that I asked last year,” asked board Chair Deb D’Amico, “which is, what is the reason that you need to increase it an hour each day? What are you seeing that’s telling you you need more hours?”
“A lot of it has to do with visibility,” Deveneau replied, “just being out there, being seen during the day. Because that’s when you’re really going to get your house breaks. That’s when people aren’t home. We’re a bedroom community. So, the key is to kind of blanket the town the best that we can. The by-product of that is that it slows vehicles down throughout the day. Staff are immediately available to respond to the school (Royalston Community School).”
D’Amico was surprised to learn that police have had to respond to calls at the elementary school.
“We’ve been called there several times, yes,” said Deveneau. “You get some kids — good kids — but there are some behavioral issues with some of the children. You wouldn’t think so. I don’t think it’s kindergartners, but I know once you get up around the third-grade level, some of them start to have some problems.”
Deveneau added that officers also respond to medical calls throughout the day.
“But the key, really, is visibility,” he continued, “because that’s the only thing that saves you from getting broken into.”
In addition to cash for increased patrols, Deveneau is seeking a 3 percent increase in pay for his officers, to $18.54 per hour, and just over $1,800 to cover the cost of policing community events that are sponsored by town-run organizations. Coverage for events that are run by nonprofit organizations or other non-municipal entities is paid for by those groups.
Most other lines in Deveneau’s budget are being held at FY20 levels.
The Selectboard will vote its recommendations on proposed FY21 budgets at an upcoming meeting. The overall municipal budget will then be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting.