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Only two Letters -to -the -Editor this month, one plus and one minus. (That's a rotten ' {
<br />average.) Mrs. J. McClung said the Town Crier is "fun to read and still very informative",
<br />while F. Nordley wondered why in the August issue I had taken an "unkind swipe at the U,S.
<br />Post Office". To answer Mr. Nordley, each of the 5 or 6 times that -I've mailed the Town
<br />Crier, the Post Office has complained about something. Now, I'm really trying to follow their i
<br />directions, but they seem to add a new one each month. I now have my own perso4al "customer
<br />representative" who is completely charming and understanding, but I'm almost to the point , 1
<br />where I expect to mail it wrong again. And to answer another question of Mr. Nordley, the
<br />reason I spenT the postage to have a copy of the Town Crier mailed to myself, is to see just �
<br />how long it takes the Post Office to get it delivere . ,
<br />Mrs. McClung's letter I keep and re -read when things get tough.
<br />As most of you probably know by now, the City of Arden Hills has decided to dissolve
<br />its own independent police force and contract as soon as possible with the Ramsey County Sher-
<br />iff's Office for police protection. At the September 26 meeting, the Arden Hills City Council
<br />approved a 1978 police budget of the exact amount that it will cost us to go with Ramsey County
<br />Approximately a dozen people stayed at this meeting until past midnight to argue for oontinu-
<br />anoe of Arden Hills' own independent police force. Later the same evening the actual motion
<br />was made to contract with the County, but since it was felt that this decision had not been
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<br />sufficiently publicized, the vote was postponed until the October 11 Council meeting.
<br />A few concerned citizens, aware of the problem, had spent the week preceding the Sept. 26
<br />meeting getting 450 signatures on a petition asking to retain our own force. And between the
<br />Sept. 26 and Oct. 11 meetings, Bob Witt and Doug Barthany had printed up and distributed 3600
<br />flyers telling Arden Hills residents to come to the next Council meeting.
<br />The flyer really got results. The October 11 Council meeting was absolutely fascinating.
<br />For the two or three of you who weren't there (well, it seemed that orowdedl), here are your
<br />editor's views of that meetings
<br />I arrived at the Village Hall five or ten minutes early to be sure and get a seat„ Ha ha.
<br />People were already standing in the hallway and office area, all seats in the Council chambers
<br />having been long gone. Due to the power of the press, Charlotte (our clerk -administrator)
<br />added a folding chair at the front table so that I could sit, guilt dripping from my shoulders.
<br />The meeting began on time, and the police question was introduced shortly thereafter.
<br />When the petition from the Sept. 26 meeting was mentioned, someone asked just what it had said,
<br />so Mayor Crepeau read it. Next there were several remarks in favor of Arden Hills' current
<br />Police Department and some questions about changing over. At this point a large gentleman
<br />shouted in from the hallway that the people out there couldn't hear. There is a speaker loeatei
<br />in the office area to project the voices of the Council members, each of whom has his own
<br />microphone. However, the members of the questioning audience were inaudible over this system.
<br />Rather than change the meeting to a larger auditorium, perhaps on a different night, to acoom-
<br />modate the large crowd, a compromise was made. All of us who were seated folded up our chairs
<br />to make standing -room -only for more bodies in the Council chambers. And anyone who wanted to
<br />speak had to come up to the main microphones so that those still squeezed into the hall and
<br />office could at least hear, even if they couldn't see.
<br />,
<br />By this time, it was nearly 8%00 p.m. And according to law, it was time for Arden Hills
<br />to let bids for #1,765,000 of General Obligation Improvement Bonds: I would expect there have
<br />never been so many citizens present to witness Arden Hills selling bonds. But in quick order
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<br />it was back to the police problem.
<br />For the next hour and a half, various citizens spoke according to their convictions. Of
<br />the several hundred people there, I would estimate the pro -AH Police Department outnumbered
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<br />the pro -Ramsey County Sheriffs about 2 to 1, at least judging from the applause after the re-
<br />marks. Although, this applause could have been misleading. After each and every speaker, my
<br />17 -year-old clapped loudly and shouted, "Arright, yah, yaht " I finally asked hia which side
<br />he was on. He said he wasn't sure yet, but that he was enjoying himself.
<br />Everyone that wanted to speak or ask a question was allowed at least one opportunity to
<br />do so. Since most people were standing, the length of the debate was probably shortened, and
<br />by 1Os00 p.m. or so the vote was taken. ffoodburn, Crepeau, and Hanson voted for Ramsey County;
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<br />Crichton voted for Arden Hills Police. The wisest councilman was undoubtedly Wingert, who
<br />was out of town on business.
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