LETTERS: June 25, 2009

June 25, 2009 01:04 am

— Former chief defends record
This letter is in response to Virginia Martin’s demand of accountability in a letter to the editor published June 23, 2009, in The Tribune.
In your letter you referred to the Chief of Police and his Deputy Chief owing the city $24,499 in overpaid money in the year 2006 and the money was not paid back. You based this on an audit by the State Board of Accounts.
You are correct about the audit and about the Board of Accounts statement, saying we were overpaid. However, you only told half the story.
In the audit you are referring to, the State Board of Accounts looked at the recap sheets we turn into the controller’s office, which showed that we did not work holidays, but we received holiday pay.
I believe it is very important that the recaps should reflect exactly how much time an officer works each day. On days like Christmas, when it would be fruitless to come to work, because nothing could be accomplished, we would take off and would reflect that on the recap. However, we would always work another day or would work overtime on other days to make sure the city was getting every minute we owed them and more. This time was not only documented on the recap sheet. I would make sure I went “10-23” on the radio at the beginning of my shift and “10-42” at the end of the shift. I did this because I knew it would be documented on the radio log and could not be disputed.
We showed the State Board of Accounts this documentation and the accountant was satisfied we did work enough off days and overtime to make up for the holidays in question. In fact, it showed that I worked 50 hours more than I had to.
Do you remember Aug. 29, 2005? You should. You seem to have such a good memory. Well just in case you don’t, it was the day Hurricane Katrina hit the coast and most of the coastal cities were devastated and in need of help. I took five police officers form New Albany and went with the Indiana State Police to Biloxi, Miss. We spent 14 days patrolling that city, helping the Biloxi police in desperate times. I make this statement only to tell you, that I used 14 days of my vacation to make this trip. I wanted to help those people anyway I could and I did not want anything for it. And, did you know, that the Department of Homeland Security reimbursed the City of New Albany every penny it had to pay us for our time there? Knowing this, I did not ask for my vacation time back.
That’s right Ms. Martin. I gave the city of New Albany 14 days of my vacation time. Perhaps the money the city made on my 14 days could be put toward one of those new police cars you have mentioned.
You see, I think I have been accountable for my actions, more so than you and your self-righteous and self-appointed group of “Citizens for Accountability.”
In closing, I would have to say that I respect your right to an opinion, whether I agree or disagree. However, I don’t think you have the right to slander people the way you and your group have. You should get your facts straight.
— Merle A. Harl, former New Albany Chief of Police

Resident praises Price’s method
I know my letter probably won’t get published but, I would like to voice my opinion to Tribune publisher Steve Kozarovich’s jeer published June 16, 2009, in the Opinions section. It concerned one of our council members, Steve Price.
I wish we had more people working for their constitutes and addressing the concerns for operating in the red — I admire him for standing up for the people, especially the less fortunate, and their needs and concerns. We can all point the finger, but how about pointing out the why we can’t afford more police and quit degrading the ones that have to vote no.
I feel we are desperately in need of better budgeting and the taxpayers cannot keep footing the bill.
People like myself, and so many others, have no idea how much money is being paid out, and how to cut the cost to bail us out of the red zone! There are so many ways to cut cost for things, but those ways are being abused and misused. Maybe something like cutting out overtime for the officers attending court appearances and using comp time instead, and then there’s negotiating a cheaper contract. A lot of companies use the Lean Team (you don’t work harder, you work smarter). May I also add that you can generally see three city workers in a truck and chances are that one is working and the other two are watching on many job sites.
I guess more of us citizens should start showing up at these meetings and we could truly see how things get all out of control.
I would like to add one more comment on following up in June 19, 2009 Opinions submission. Thank you, Vickie Denhart, you really hit the hammer on the nail. Praise the Lord for people like you and Steve Price, who are using good common sense and making wise decisions.
P:S: May I suggest that some council members should not be allowed to vote in what I call “a conflict of interest.” Most would vote for a raise, or whatever the concern, if they were a officer of the law, a fireman or teacher and so on.
Thank you for letting me voice some of my concerns.
— Joy Chism, New Albany

Where were Commissioners
I'm so happy the Floyd County Commisioners have stepped forward to help the residents of Georgetown with their sewer problems. What I cannot figure out is where the Commissioners were when all the Floyd County residents fought to keep the Wymberely Sanitation plant from raising our sewer rates from $32 a month to $80 a month — the highest in the State of Indiana! While I feel for all the residents of Georgetown, your $70 sewer bill pales in comparison to our $80 a month.
It would be interesting for The Tribune to learn who really owns these sewer plants, who has investments in them, and who makes decisions regarding the rates. I think you may be surprised.
— Jerry Davis, Floyds Knobs