MONROE - The Monroe Public Safety Committee Monday night approved a fundraiser for the MERIT Center sponsored by the First Community Credit Union in Monroe.
First Chief Daryl Rausch told the committee last night that the credit union wants to donate $100 for each mortgage and $25 for each car loan they approve. The program will last three to five years until the project is finished.
MERIT stands for Monroe Emergency Response Interagency Training. The MERIT Center, located on six acres in Monroe North Business and Industry Park, provides training to south central Wisconsin emergency services and private industry.
The committee also:
• Discussed special event permits for the downtown area. Police Chief Fred Kelley said that lately there has been a difference of opinion from businesses about the closing of downtown streets. Some business owners are saying they lose business when their customers cannot get to the stores when streets are closed.
Kelley and members of the committee agreed that they are concerned only with the public safety at these events and that the issue of closing streets needs to be taken up by BID, Monroe Main Street and the business owners.
Also, the committee asked Kelley to scrutinize the application forms more, and to find out from the city building inspector when and how many port-a-potties are required for a crowd.
• Approved Monroe Main Street Cinco de Mayo, May 4, from noon until 5 p.m. The inner lane on the north side of the Square will be closed for the event.
• Approved the Monroe Chamber of Commerce City Wide Garage Sale and Downtown Sidewalk Sales, for May 3, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event requires no street closures.
• Recommended to the Salary & Personnel Committee to hire Nancy D. Heidenreich as a dispatcher. The dispatch position was created from a recent vacancy in the parking meter attendants. The city approved the shift last month, which created no additional city personnel hiring.
Kelley stayed to answer questions about the Monroe Police Department 2007 annual report, but the members had none. Kelley said, basically, crime in Monroe is up, and one reason for the increase is that the department has not been as proactive since federal funds were diverted to other places.
• On Monday, April 15, the Salary & Personnel Committee approved recommending to City Council to hire Heidenreich as a new police department dispatcher.
- By Tere Dunlap
First Chief Daryl Rausch told the committee last night that the credit union wants to donate $100 for each mortgage and $25 for each car loan they approve. The program will last three to five years until the project is finished.
MERIT stands for Monroe Emergency Response Interagency Training. The MERIT Center, located on six acres in Monroe North Business and Industry Park, provides training to south central Wisconsin emergency services and private industry.
The committee also:
• Discussed special event permits for the downtown area. Police Chief Fred Kelley said that lately there has been a difference of opinion from businesses about the closing of downtown streets. Some business owners are saying they lose business when their customers cannot get to the stores when streets are closed.
Kelley and members of the committee agreed that they are concerned only with the public safety at these events and that the issue of closing streets needs to be taken up by BID, Monroe Main Street and the business owners.
Also, the committee asked Kelley to scrutinize the application forms more, and to find out from the city building inspector when and how many port-a-potties are required for a crowd.
• Approved Monroe Main Street Cinco de Mayo, May 4, from noon until 5 p.m. The inner lane on the north side of the Square will be closed for the event.
• Approved the Monroe Chamber of Commerce City Wide Garage Sale and Downtown Sidewalk Sales, for May 3, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event requires no street closures.
• Recommended to the Salary & Personnel Committee to hire Nancy D. Heidenreich as a dispatcher. The dispatch position was created from a recent vacancy in the parking meter attendants. The city approved the shift last month, which created no additional city personnel hiring.
Kelley stayed to answer questions about the Monroe Police Department 2007 annual report, but the members had none. Kelley said, basically, crime in Monroe is up, and one reason for the increase is that the department has not been as proactive since federal funds were diverted to other places.
• On Monday, April 15, the Salary & Personnel Committee approved recommending to City Council to hire Heidenreich as a new police department dispatcher.
- By Tere Dunlap