Georgetown Mayor’s Court has experienced a significant rise in revenue as compared to this time last year, raking in nearly double the total revenue than it did in 2015.
According to Georgetown’s year-to-date mayor’s court report discussed during the village’s April 14 regular council meeting, the mayor’s court revenue totaled $23,629.52 so far for 2016, while at this time last year mayor’s court revenue stood at $13,145.96.
The reason for the rise in revenue, Georgetown police officers are handing out more citations.
City revenue from fines was $7,439 so far this year, according to the mayor’s court report.
From Georgetown’s March 10 council meeting until April 14, the Georgetown Police Department issued 128 mayor’s court citations, including both traffic and criminal, while responding to 691 calls for service.
Georgetown Police Chief Robert Freeland discussed the police department’s monthly status report during the April 14 village council meeting, a report that provided details of some of the interesting matters that have recently took place, some leading to arrests.
A domestic call on the evening of March 10 would result in drug trafficking charges for two residents of the Georgetown Apartments.
According to the GPD’s report, officers responded to Georgetown Apartments in reference to a possible domestic abuse situation and conducting a “welfare check.”
Upon arrival, officers allegedly observed loose pills, drug paraphernalia, and scales. Officers obtained a search warrant and searched the apartment and its residents, according to Freeland.
The apartment residents, Alfonzo Pratt and Brenda Bellamy, were questioned by officers and charged with trafficking in drugs, drug possession, permitting drug abuse, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In a separate incident that occurred March 16, a man being served a protection order by a Georgetown officer violated the order less than two hours from receiving it.
Alexander Dickens received notice and a copy of the protection order filed against him by his live-in girlfriend, according to the GPD report. After receiving the order, Dickens allegedly extended both hands to the officer who served the order and said, “Arrest me now, because I can’t stay away from the woman I love.”
Freeland also notified council members of the rash of thefts from the elderly.
“Over the past several months our department has investigated numerous reports of thefts from the elderly,” said Freeland. “I’ve created a post on our Facebook page to make the community more aware of these scammers.”
Since December, the GPD has filed charges on five individuals for thefts from the elderly.
Such offenders have been known to make contact with elderly people by knocking on their doors and expressing a desperate need for money.
In some cases the offenders have been invited into homes while asking for monetary assistance, where they can gain access to money or valuables. Some offenders have also been known to return to the same home time and time again asking for money.
In other business during the meeting, plans continue on the Senior Playground Project at Kathryn Hanlon Park in Georgetown.
Nancy Montgomery, the project coordinator for the Senior Playground, appeared at the April 14 village council meeting to notify council of the progress being made in securing enough funds to cover the cost of the Senior Playground.
Montgomery handed out a brochure to village officials that included a lay-out of the Senior Playground. The playground is to consist of Motion Wellness Systems that are designed to improve stability, balance, coordination, and social interaction for senior citizens.
The playground will include 20 different activities that can be modified to adapt to the physical fitness level of senior citizens and other groups of people such as those suffering from a mental or physical issue that can affect balance and stability.
The fenced-in playground will also include tables with checkerboards and at least five benches.
“We appreciate what Nancy is doing to get this thing up and running,” Georgetown Mayor Dale Cahall said of the Senior Playground Project.
Georgetown council passed a resolution that will allow for the application of grants to help fund the Senior Wellness Playground.
“Right now, I’m just talking to people for money,” Montgomery said while giving an update on the playground project.
Also taking place during the April 14 meeting, Council member Susan Bean sparked a discussion regarding the possibility of digitizing the village’s public information such as ordinances and resolutions currently on record and burial plots.
Other village officials were in agreement at how digitizing this type of information could benefit the village, providing much easier access of such records.
Georgetown Administrator Art Owens said, if digitized and placed on a website, he would like the public information to be searchable.
“I totally agree with you on that,” Owens said to Bean as they discussed the digitizing of records.
“If it could be digitized, that would be great,” said Cahall.
Owens went on to say he would like to market the Village of Georgetown website.
Georgetown village officials also discussed repairs to the tennis court at the Georgetown Jr./Sr. High School. Per contract with the school district, the Village of Georgetown is responsible for maintaining the tennis court located on school grounds.
Large cracks have formed on the tennis court due to unstable ground, which could result in a cost to the village to repair the court if insurance or other sources of funds will not cover the cost of the repairs.
The next Georgetown Village Council meeting is scheduled for April 28 beginning at 7 p.m.
