President Heidi opened the meeting at 6:00PM with the Pledge of Allegiance and Dan led us in prayer.  And Lord please bring us ice!

 

Guests and Visiting Rotarians: Fitz and Chief Michael Harper of the Meredith Police Department.

 

Did ya know we have Moon Trees? Tree seeds were sent up with Apollo XIV to test whether or not they would still be viable after being in space.  A surprise to the scientists…they were! There are Moon Trees planted all around the world.  Learn more about them and where they are located here: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.html.

 

Announcements:   Derby update from Bill: Trailer set up tomorrow and John Woodaman will be setting up power. Governor Sununu will be receiving the number one ticket (which he does pay for!)  There will be a video with a message.  Ticket sales are down 25% year to date.  Need to get the word out that the Derby is on…buy tickets and be safe.  Radio commercials are running and we can update them.  Will hang a banner on the trailer with “the derby’s on” message and will be making posters for the stores.  Bill will be doing some more interviews.  Bill did an interview with NH Wildlife Federation and can do another.  Get a list of lakes that have frozen over, but still stress ice safety.

 

Fred announced new member Eric Patel, one of the representatives from the MVSB group membership. Welcome Eric!

 

Program:  Community Policing in 2023 presented by Meredith Police Chief Michael Harper.  Mike attended Inter-Lakes High School and worked his way through the ranks to Chief after 26 years on the force.  Hoping to be fully staffed after filling one more position which is rare these days. Mike feels that says a lot about our town and community.  Updating IT and dispatch console to keep everyone safe.  Sent three officers to accident reconstruction school.  Believes in training and offering the best service to our community.  If you see our officers about tow, please strike up a conversation.  We are peace officers first. 
 

Q: Any differences in patrolling private roads vs. public roads? A: No speed limits to enforce but everything else is normal. 

Q: Biggest surprise when you became chief?  A: We had a dispatch failure to deal with.  He held every position in the department before becoming chief so there were no surprises there.

Q: How do you recruit new talent and find applicants? A: Who wouldn’t want to work in Meredith?  We don’t get as many applicants as we used to but we still get a lot of applicants.  We get quality people even with the narrower pool. 

Q: What is staff size?  A: 13 full time and a part time. 

Q: What training after academy?  A: 16 weeks of field training.  We don’t have contracts.  No sign-on bonuses. If you don’t want to come here, don’t come.  We have a lot to offer.

Q: Biggest challenge? A: Dealing with mental illnesses in the public.  How to work with medical professionals and calls for help from the public?  We have some homeless but not as bad as other towns. 

Q: How can we help you? A:  Tell us what you need.  I just want an open line of communication.  My office is always open; have a coffee and tell us what you think should or shouldn’t be going on.

Q: What does community policing mean?  A: Getting out to the public, stopping into businesses, talking to businesses, asking people about trends. 

No call is too small.  Call us.  Non-emergency number is on our website.  279-4564.

Q: Need for a K9? A:  A lot of neighboring towns have one and I don’t see it as a priority right now. 

Q: DARE or similar programs? A: School cut it out because it was cutting too much into their day.

Q: Still supporting co-op program with Northeastern?  A:  Haven’t used it in years.

 

 

Happy Dollars:  Bob K. last weekend went down to see Columbia get thumped by Harvard, great dinner with friends and visited the JFK Museum and the Giants won the play-off game!  Taking girlfriend to dinner for her 60^th.  Chuck not wearing his name badge.  Jim’s old car off to the graveyard, proud owner of Genesis vehicle..still taking classes on how to work the radio!  Heidi’s daughter just had her fitting for her wedding gown.

 

50/50  Winner is Bill Kaik (or was it Ron?  The world may never know!)

 

President Heidi led us in the four-way test. Meeting adjourned at 7:04PM.  BOD meeting follows.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Erin M. Apostolos