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RECIPE INSIDE! OCTOBER 7, 2021
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Police hit with officer exodus
at a time when Williston’s population and commercial centers are growing and the department For a few short months this should be expanding along with summer, the Williston Police De- them, Moore said. partment was fully staffed. But “When we are down two or three recent officer resignations three officers, we have to cut back have put the department in the on certain things that we do, just familiar position of playing catch- because of the sheer volume of up, looking for officers in an espe- calls that we’re handling,” he said. cially challenging labor market for “And every time a major neighemployers. borhood goes in or a new store Officer Brandon Allen left in comes to town, our call volume is August and Dan Macaig left last just going to continue to increase.” week. Officer Police staffLogan Young ing is a statewide ‘There are a lot of plans to leave problem, Jennithis month, fer Morrison of officers getting out pending anthe Department of this profession.’ other job offer, of Public Safety according to wrote in a July Lt. Josh Moore Williston Police Department Lt. Josh Moore. memo. All three are “The number pursuing caof officers leaving reers outside of law enforcement, Vermont law enforcement agenMoore said. The department will cies vastly outpaces the number be left with 12 officers and two being hired or newly certified,” supervisors. Morrison wrote. “Vermont law “There are a lot of officers enforcement … is already in a that are getting out of this pro- staffing crisis. The forecast for the fession,” Moore said. “There are future is that this crisis will deepdefinitely opportunities to make en to unprecedented levels.” a lot more money and have a difThe selectboard entered negoferent lifestyle in the private sec- tiations in September on a new tor, compared to being a public employment contract with Wilfigure.” liston’s police officer union. The The national debate about po- current 1.5-year contract expires lice reform sparked last year by in December. It carried forward the police killing of George Floyd rules on officer accountability that has “weighed pretty heavy on the were in previous contracts, while officers,” said Moore. But he notes giving officers a 1.6 percent annuthat support for the Williston al pay increase. Police Department remains “exBut the Williston Police Detremely high.” partment has changed the way it “When I go out into the com- handles citizen complaints against munity, I’m always kind of amazed officers since the contract was fiat how many people come up and nalized last June. say ‘thank you for everything that Previously, the police chief you do,’” Moore said. “Every sin- would bring in an outside invesgle day there are people waving to tigator — often a retired police the officers at traffic stops and out officer — to look into citizen complaints against an officer. at calls.” see POLICE page 24 The staffing challenges come BY JASON STARR Observer staff
A sign for the newly renamed Village Community Park — formerly Williston Community Park — was installed in Williston Village on Tuesday. OBSERVER PHOTO BY JASON STARR
Community parks — a new name and a new future BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Allen Brook Park is taking its first steps from a blank slate of athletic fields next to Williston’s elementary school toward what could be the community center/ pool/recreation center that many residents have long had on their wish lists. The first of two public input sessions on a new park master plan was held Wednesday evening at the park. The second is tentatively set for Nov. 10. The town has hired a consultant to sketch plans for the roughly 20 town-owned acres behind the Williston Fire Station and next to Allen Brook School, and present them for selectboard approval by the end of the year. “This project will allow the Town of Williston to develop a (plan) that will maximize the use
of the land, create areas that are safe, green and are used efficiently, and create a more complete community park for all,” the request for consultant proposals for the project states. In August, members of the Recreation and Parks Committee gave the consultant — Burlington-based landscape designer SE Group — initial ideas of what the community would like to see built and created at the park. A community center with a gymnasium, fitness rooms, indoor turf field and a pool is the most ambitious item to come out of the Aug. 19 meeting. But committee chair Bob Metz cautioned that the master planning process is primarily focused on outdoor space at the park; creating detailed plans for an indoor community center is beyond the scope of the study. “We are taking advantage of
this opportunity to see if it is viable to put (a community center) here, and that would at least give us a starting point,” Metz said. “If there is a way to do it, we could then build off of that with an actual indoor facility study. “The SE Group is really great with the outdoor aspect, but they are not indoor recreation facility designers,” he added. Other possibilities the committee discussed for the park are baseball and softball fields, basketball and tennis courts, a walking path, a natural area/edible garden and outdoor classroom, event pavilion and play structures. The fate of the current athletic fields, which comprise 4 acres, is up for discussion, Recreation and Parks Director Todd Goodwin said. Currently the fields serve the town’s soccer and lacrosse see PARK page 24
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