A Granite Statue and a Granite Vase=$2 for Coffers
After the usual rituals, Caroline didn’t waste a second to fine herself one-and-nine for being one minute late in ringing the bell even before sixteen Rotarians sat down for our usual bill of fare. Karl followed with a proposal of one-and-nine on Tom for having his picture in the newspaper. Tom defended by explaining the he was accepting a check for $5000 for the Boy Scout Statue Fund toward the goal of $25,000 which is close to being achieved. With the $25,000, there would be a match from the Semprebon Fund and then $30,000 more would have to be raised. Karl explained the long standing tradition of fining Rotarians whose pictures appear in the paper when not directly connected to Rotary and defended the fine as a way of maneuvering a subterfuge to allow Tom to make a pitch for donations to the Boy Scout Statue Fund. For those interested in making a donation, send a check to VFW Post 790. An amendment to the fine was proposed on Ted for not mentioning a granite vase at the First Baptist Church which was carved by Ted’s dad (not sure of the connection to the original fine). Ted offered a Happy Dollar instead of paying the fine. Original fine passed.
A Plethora of Announcements
- In light of school shootings, John assured the members that Barre City Schools were secure during the day, but there have been challenging times during such events as teacher-parent conferences in the evenings. A security audit ordered by Governor Scott was recently completed by the Barre Police Department.
- Interact conducts a bottle-drop every Monday at the auditorium entrance of the school. Bring your bottles to help the Interact coffers.
- Elizabeth announced that we have selected a RYLA participant and that the paper work and a check have been submitted.
- Joe announced that Barre Rotary will participate in Green up Day again this year on May 5th commencing with breakfast at Soup and Greens at 7:00 a.m.
- Liane reported that the Changeover Dinner will take place at the Barre Country Club on June 13th.
A Membership Minute
Scott provided us with a Membership Minute by pointing out that there was not much variety in the M&Ms on the tables. He mixed new packs with old packs and put older packs on top and then he made a pitch for someone to step up to take over as chair of the Membership Committee next year.
Director Bombardier Focuses on Schools and Justice Center
Timothy J. Bombardier, Director of Public Safety (both Police Chief and Fire Chief) began the conversation with the topic of school security. He said that the Barre City Schools were secure; however, the glass is three-quarters full and there is always work to be done. Barre and Montpelier Police Departments work cooperatively, especially on training of staff. Barre law enforcement officers follow up on alerts including those that come from a company based in Great Britain.Often local alerts come from social media and from overheard conversations. When asked about the recent event at Montpelier High School why the students were sent to the auditorium, Director Bombardier said that with windows and potential shooting, the auditorium was the safest place in the school. Training of officers and school staff continues to ensure safety in the schools.
Director Bombardier spent quite a bit of time on describing the work of the Greater Barre Community Justice Center. According to its website: “It
The Director said that a community presence is essential and the civilian bike patrol is a “big bang for the buck.” It will be back again this summer.
When asked about retention, he said that it has not been a problem. Barre is seen as an attractive place to pursue a career and new and veteran members of the law enforcement community often seek out opportunities in Barre.
Barre Rotarians found the Director’s remarks informative and interesting and joined in a warm and appreciative round of applause at its conclusion.