We received a FWD of an email from David Griscom Ph.D in Physics, who among other things, writes a blog.
Dr. Griscom writes:
"If you'd like to know how hard some of your fellow citizens have been working to expose insider election fraud -- and the degree of malfeasance your "elected" officials will rise to in order to cover up this fraud -- read this!:
Arizona Microcosm: If you think an election was stolen and you spend thousands of hours gathering the evidence and pursuing the matter through the courts, all your efforts may be foiled by your state's Attorney General...even if he is a Democrat!"
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We are NOT trying to make a political statement. Our intention is to keep our readers aware of what political issues impact us as Arizona & Oro Valley citizens.
Please log on to Dr. Griscom's blog and read what he has to say.
....
Thursday, July 15, 2010
John Musolf Writes About Oro Valley Council Decision To Eliminate OVPD Management Study
John Musolf needs no introduction to our readers. John is an Oro Valley citizen with an extensive background in finance. He has been good enough to copy us on an email he sent to the Town Council & staff.
Please take the time to read John's questioning of the council's decision to "kill" the police department management study.
Art
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Mayor and Council
Oro Valley has conducted past professional management studies of some of its departments such as Building Safety, Public Works, Legal and Library to provide a detailed analysis of how the Town compares to established standards and bench marks of operations.
Management studies are conducted with the intent of utilizing an experienced and independent third party to review current strategies and operations and make recommendations to improve efficiency and delivery of services.
Two management studies of the Police and Parks/Recreation had been approved and scheduled to commence in the summer of 2010.
The new Oro Valley Mayor and Council decided to eliminate those studies.
Therefore, in my opinion, it has fallen to the individual taxpayers to question some of the operations and budgets for Town Departments.
Please review the attached analysis that I have made of the Amphitheater School Resource Officer Program. I would also request that this email be made part of the Town's public records.*
Thank You
John Musolf
Oro Valley Taxpayer
* The Town Clerk complied with this request. Art
State of Arizona School Safety Program
The School Safety Program was a state-funded grant that places School Resource Officers (SROs) and/or Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) in selected schools to contribute to safe school environments that are conducive to teaching and learning. School Safety Program officers maintain a visible presence on campus; deter delinquent and violent behaviors; serve as an available resource to the school community; and provide students and staff with Law-Related Education (LRE) instruction and training.
Tucson District One school Board and the Amphitheater School District were both eligible for the Arizona School Safety grants that could be used to offset the costs of the School Resource Officers.
It is unfortunate that state grants dried up. The Tucson District One and Amphitheater School District had no budget for School Resource Officers.
What impact did this situation have on “partner” municipal budgets?
Two examples are given:
City of Tucson School Resource Officer (SRO) Program
History
In 1962, former Tucson Police Chief Bernard Garmire met with the Tucson District One School Board and developed the unique working relationship between the police department and the school district.
Staffing
The School Resource Officer program was staffed by 23 experienced officers, specially selected and trained to work with young people. Each officer was assigned to a public middle school and the neighborhood elementary schools or high schools within the city limits. Each SRO was responsible for about six schools and worked closely with the faculty and staff in situations that may have required mediation or intervention in problems involving students.
The City of Tucson has eliminated their entire School Resource Officer Program. The City was trying to close a huge budget gap.
In 2010, the Tucson Police Department no longer has a job description for a School Resource Officer.
Oro Valley Police Department
The Oro Valley Police Department, in cooperation with the Amphitheater School District, has seven (7) fulltime School Resource Officers (SRO). There is also one sergeant in charge of the SRO unit.
The Town of Oro Valley and the Oro Valley Police Department continue to support the Amphitheater School District in the Town of Oro Valley Budget (1 Sergeant, 7 Officers, $639,930 2010 Adopted Budget, $671,632 2010 and 692,888 2011 for FY2010/2011 Recommended Budget).
The citizens of Oro Valley pay both primary and secondary property taxes to support the Amphitheater School District.
The citizens of Oro Valley will pay additional taxes ($671,632 and $692,888 from the FY2010/2011 Recommended Budget) from the General Fund to support the Amphitheater School Resource Officer Program.
This is double taxation for a resident of Oro Valley.
In 2010, there is no specific job description for a SRO Officer. The Oro Valley Police Department considers the seven SRO officers as an operational assignment. The SRO job description is for a police officer (classification 2760). There are no specific skill requirements or training for the position of school resource officer.
Amphitheater News, Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Amphitheater governing board approved $14.5 million in budget cuts and finalized the elimination of more than 210 positions.
The board's 5-0 vote to slash the 2010-2011 budget represented a worst-case scenario for the district by Arizona voters next month.
Although a 1-cent state sales tax increase was approved, board members said, nearly $7.9 million and more than 95 positions will still be cut because of reductions in state funding.
The Amphitheater School District has had to cut into their core services because of budget shortfalls.
What is the justification behind the Town of Oro Valley continuing to provide support for Amphitheater school resource officers?
Perhaps the Oro Valley Town Council might want to “earmark” their contribution to the Amphitheater School District to save some teacher jobs instead of funding School Resource Officers?
Please take the time to read John's questioning of the council's decision to "kill" the police department management study.
Art
*************************************************************************************
Mayor and Council
Oro Valley has conducted past professional management studies of some of its departments such as Building Safety, Public Works, Legal and Library to provide a detailed analysis of how the Town compares to established standards and bench marks of operations.
Management studies are conducted with the intent of utilizing an experienced and independent third party to review current strategies and operations and make recommendations to improve efficiency and delivery of services.
Two management studies of the Police and Parks/Recreation had been approved and scheduled to commence in the summer of 2010.
The new Oro Valley Mayor and Council decided to eliminate those studies.
Therefore, in my opinion, it has fallen to the individual taxpayers to question some of the operations and budgets for Town Departments.
Please review the attached analysis that I have made of the Amphitheater School Resource Officer Program. I would also request that this email be made part of the Town's public records.*
Thank You
John Musolf
Oro Valley Taxpayer
* The Town Clerk complied with this request. Art
State of Arizona School Safety Program
The School Safety Program was a state-funded grant that places School Resource Officers (SROs) and/or Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) in selected schools to contribute to safe school environments that are conducive to teaching and learning. School Safety Program officers maintain a visible presence on campus; deter delinquent and violent behaviors; serve as an available resource to the school community; and provide students and staff with Law-Related Education (LRE) instruction and training.
Tucson District One school Board and the Amphitheater School District were both eligible for the Arizona School Safety grants that could be used to offset the costs of the School Resource Officers.
It is unfortunate that state grants dried up. The Tucson District One and Amphitheater School District had no budget for School Resource Officers.
What impact did this situation have on “partner” municipal budgets?
Two examples are given:
City of Tucson School Resource Officer (SRO) Program
History
In 1962, former Tucson Police Chief Bernard Garmire met with the Tucson District One School Board and developed the unique working relationship between the police department and the school district.
Staffing
The School Resource Officer program was staffed by 23 experienced officers, specially selected and trained to work with young people. Each officer was assigned to a public middle school and the neighborhood elementary schools or high schools within the city limits. Each SRO was responsible for about six schools and worked closely with the faculty and staff in situations that may have required mediation or intervention in problems involving students.
The City of Tucson has eliminated their entire School Resource Officer Program. The City was trying to close a huge budget gap.
In 2010, the Tucson Police Department no longer has a job description for a School Resource Officer.
Oro Valley Police Department
The Oro Valley Police Department, in cooperation with the Amphitheater School District, has seven (7) fulltime School Resource Officers (SRO). There is also one sergeant in charge of the SRO unit.
The Town of Oro Valley and the Oro Valley Police Department continue to support the Amphitheater School District in the Town of Oro Valley Budget (1 Sergeant, 7 Officers, $639,930 2010 Adopted Budget, $671,632 2010 and 692,888 2011 for FY2010/2011 Recommended Budget).
The citizens of Oro Valley pay both primary and secondary property taxes to support the Amphitheater School District.
The citizens of Oro Valley will pay additional taxes ($671,632 and $692,888 from the FY2010/2011 Recommended Budget) from the General Fund to support the Amphitheater School Resource Officer Program.
This is double taxation for a resident of Oro Valley.
In 2010, there is no specific job description for a SRO Officer. The Oro Valley Police Department considers the seven SRO officers as an operational assignment. The SRO job description is for a police officer (classification 2760). There are no specific skill requirements or training for the position of school resource officer.
Amphitheater News, Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Amphitheater governing board approved $14.5 million in budget cuts and finalized the elimination of more than 210 positions.
The board's 5-0 vote to slash the 2010-2011 budget represented a worst-case scenario for the district by Arizona voters next month.
Although a 1-cent state sales tax increase was approved, board members said, nearly $7.9 million and more than 95 positions will still be cut because of reductions in state funding.
The Amphitheater School District has had to cut into their core services because of budget shortfalls.
What is the justification behind the Town of Oro Valley continuing to provide support for Amphitheater school resource officers?
Perhaps the Oro Valley Town Council might want to “earmark” their contribution to the Amphitheater School District to save some teacher jobs instead of funding School Resource Officers?
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