Chauncey should pay its fair share for law enforcement

To the Editor:

In today's society, it's not uncommon to hear the term "fair share." Employers expect their employees to pay a fair share for insurance. Labor unions want non-union members to pay a fair share for the benifits they receive.

Why not a fair share for law enforcement? The village of Chauncey has had the free ride long enough. In a local Village Council meeting, the obnoxious president of the council boldly told me that Chauncey did not want a village marshal. The council felt comfortable with the Athens County sheriff the way it was. The village just goes on about how impoverished and poor they are and how they cannot afford to hire a marshal in spite of the fact that the village is in direct violation of ORC Code 737.15, which specifies that an incorporated village shall hire a village marshall.

The Athens County sheriff's cruisers are in the village of Chauncey every day. They respond to emergency as well as domestic calls. The sheriff can only do so much with the manpower and recourse he has but times are getting harder and the crime rate is ever increasing. In Chauncey, the council members say how poor they are but spend money like it grows on trees. There is no shortage of funds for employee raises and benefits. There's no shortage for Christmas bonuses and Christmas parties. Why then can't the village afford to pay a fair share for law enforcement? I urge the Athens County Commissioners as well as the sheriff to push hard to have these freeloaders be required to pay a fair share amount of their village resources to help fund the county Sheriff's Department.

If every incorporated village not having a local marshal would pay a fair share amount, the sheriff could afford to hire more deputies. That would be in all of our best interest. All the village of Chauncey can focus on is that dilapidated old water and sewer plant that they use, and justify, gouge and rob the residents blind on their water and sewer bills in what appears to me to be some sort of ponzi operation that the Ohio Attorney General should look into.

What Sheriff Kelly needs to do, as well as the Athens County Commissioners, is to attend the local Village Council meetings in person and lay it on the line and explain to these knuckleheads in no uncertain terms what the Ohio law and ORC requires them to do.

Now, after I've written this, the village of Chauncey will probably find another road or ancient highway that goes through my property.

Tom Baggs
Chauncey