|
Published: October 25, 2009 08:59 pm
HAMILTON: A lesson provided by city settlements
By Ken Hamilton
Niagara Gazette
If I am wrong, then I like to be the first one to admit it. Usually, I don’t have that luxury, because by the time that I discover that I was wrong, sometimes hundreds of other people have already whispered it behind my back.
But, this one is kind of a no-brainer, which a whole other group of people would testify that I am qualified to make.
Nonetheless, at the Monday City Council meeting I protested spending $137,500 on the paving of a nearly abandoned parking lot behind what was once the Slipko’s Food King Market on Main Street because there are no traffic or marketing studies to indicate the need for that job. Furthermore, the city should sell that property and demolish the Slipko’s building so that a private merchant can make up-front parking along Main.
Another fellow got up and spoke about the $7,600 travel budget for the city administrator being excessive.
Now, I don’t mind being more liberal than Niagara Falls High School history and government teacher Frank Soda. I don’t even mind about him being right sometimes and me being wrong. But, what bothers me is when he is more right than I am on a more conservative issue. I admit that this time he embarrassingly nailed it.
Soda had bet the students that he brings to City Council meetings that there would be public protests about the relatively paltry sums of money that council sometimes allows the mayor to use on what amount to be pet projects, but the public would overlook the mega-sums of money that some rightfully consider unnecessarily spent.
Soda asked if there is a pattern developing for monies that we spend in the city on policing errors. More specifically, monies spent in paying settlements for police/civilian accidents. The council approved spending $800,000 in one case recently, and $200,000 in another case on Monday.
It is easy for my liberal side to overlook such expenses as necessary ones, we having more sympathy for the victim than for the city. So much so, that we don’t examine why the city is at fault and how, if possible, such events can be mitigated, or even eliminated.
Our police force are professionals who, like us, want to improve. They would rather have the $1 million spent in additional police officers than in settlement payments.
But Soda’s question begs consideration: Is there a pattern developing? Perhaps being exempt from the vehicular and traffic laws that they swore to enforce takes a certain edge off them or causes them not to be as focused as they should? I don’t know.
While it may rightfully be of no comfort to the compensated victims and/or their families, I do believe that our police department likely saves the general public hundreds of times the money that is spent in settlements, police car repairs and replacements. Nonetheless, absent from any broadly known discussion by political and government servants are any actions taken to ensure that these payments become unnecessary.
There is little question that I am one of the Board of Education’s staunchest critics — and for good cause. So I really hate to do this, but I have to give kudos to Soda on, not only understanding this issue, but also on instilling a better understanding of it into his student’s minds.
Well done, Frank.
Ken Hamilton is a Niagara Falls resident. Contact him at kenhamilton930@aol.com.
|
|
|
Photos
|
|
|
|
|

 |
Dental Receptionist
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST Busy progressive group practice seeks PT dental receptionist. Dental exp. and computer kn...>MORE
Graphics/Evacuation Layout
GRAPHICS / EVACUATION LAYOUT Supports our fabrication staff by preparing evacuation plan layouts as d...>MORE
ALL POSITIONS
LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA Opening in North Tonawanda on Tues., April 6th & is hiring crew members for all shifts! ...>MORE
HOME HEALTH AIDES
Now recruiting certified home health aides Ask us about the $1,250 Sign-On Bonus* Apply in Perso...>MORE
Service Consultant & Service Technician
Help Wanted Keyser Cadillac Service Positions
Service Consultant
We are seeking a GM Service ...>MORE
RNS
Catholic Health RN’S Time for a Change? Seeking RN’s for Home Care in Northtowns. Visit ou...>MORE
Health Care Positions
Health Care Positions Available! The Residents an Staff at Absolut Care of Gasport invite you to visit us at our OPEN HO...>MORE
Dental Assistant
DENTAL ASSISTANT, experienced, 30-35 hours, please fax resume 716-297-6487...>MORE
Health Care Positions
Health Care Positions Available! The Residents an Staff at Absolut Care of Gasport invite you to visit us at our OPEN HO...>MORE
Production Control
PRODUCTION CONTROL Min. 2 yr tech. deg. plus 2 yrs. mfg. exp. Knowledge of factory functions incl. pipefitti...>MORE
See all ads |
Suburu 1999 Forester
CHEVY 2001 Silverado pickup, ext cab, 2wd, 75k miles, exc. cond. $7000 or best offer. 799-7754...>MORE
Chevy 2001 Silverado
CHEVY 2001 Silverado pickup, ext cab, 2wd, 75k miles, exc. cond. $7000 or best offer. 799-7754...>MORE
WV Jetta 2005
VW Jetta 2005. Newer model, manual, blue, 85k mi, heated seats, sun roof, new tires. Exc. cond. $8300. 754-9193...>MORE
Saturn 1995 wagon
SATURN 1995 wagon white 122k, auto trans. no rust, $1800. 4pm-9pm daily, 283-1218...>MORE
2000 Mercury Cougar
MERCURY 2000 Cougar, V6 auto, loaded, exc in & out, new tires & brakes, no rust. $2850. 523-7102....>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|