AUBURN - Officials hope a proposal will keep workers' pride from turning into a criminals' playground.
The city could spend $19,000 to install two fixed cameras and a movable one to watch over Exchange Street Mall.
Auburn City Council discussed the idea during the Thursday meeting, but will take no action until possibly next week.
City manager Mark Palesh said the downtown improvement project is done, so city employees need to think about security issues.
“The mall looks beautiful ... but I look at if from a different perspective. It's an attractive nuisance,” Police Chief Gary Giannotta said.
The cameras would protect the city's investment by putting a face or visual clue to any problems that might arise, Giannotta said.
Mayor Timothy Lattimore asked that the city look into mounting video cameras inside the nearby parking garage, but that undertaking would cost far more than the external cameras would, Giannotta said.
Providing wireless Internet could make installing cameras easier and cheaper, he added.
During the meeting, everyone stressed the cameras are not meant as a “Big Brother” surveillance system, but rather a way to have a record of criminal incidences.
The police department likely wouldn't have anyone monitoring the video around the clock.
“This is not a project to spy on people. We're not going to watch them while their eating lunch. Ninety percent of the time, nobody's going to be watching it,” Giannotta said.
An officer walking a beat downtown might serve the community better, Councilor Matt Smith suggested. Maintaining a physical presence downtown is beneficial, but not an efficient use of an officer's time, Palesh responded.
Director of Planning and Economic Development Jennifer Haines collected feedback from people with ties to downtown. Comments ranged from people who are in favor of the cameras, to those who think the concept should be examined, to some who bristle at the idea, Haines told council.
Palesh reminded council that the downtown bus stop soon will return near the pedestrian mall, increasing foot traffic in that spot.
In other news:
* After years of talking about an expansion of the city landfill, the state Department of Environmental Conservation sent a draft permit to the city for approval.
All indications are the city can send out construction bids within a matter of weeks.
“That's a very big, positive step to go ahead,” said Paul Dudden, of Barton & Loguidice Engineers.
Dudden reviewed the document Thursday and gave an overall presentation to council.
Construction bids will come back to the city by November's end. The undertaking is predicted to cost $5.9 million, up from the estimated $5.5 million because of increasing energy prices. However, a “reasonable cushion” remains between the project's expenses and revenues, Dudden said.
He predicted the city could have up to two decades worth of landfill space, if the city laid a liner over the abandoned dump and reworked another area.
“What you own is big enough to get 20 years,” Dudden said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Auburn City Council discussed the idea during the Thursday meeting, but will take no action until possibly next week.
City manager Mark Palesh said the downtown improvement project is done, so city employees need to think about security issues.
“The mall looks beautiful ... but I look at if from a different perspective. It's an attractive nuisance,” Police Chief Gary Giannotta said.
The cameras would protect the city's investment by putting a face or visual clue to any problems that might arise, Giannotta said.
Mayor Timothy Lattimore asked that the city look into mounting video cameras inside the nearby parking garage, but that undertaking would cost far more than the external cameras would, Giannotta said.
Providing wireless Internet could make installing cameras easier and cheaper, he added.
During the meeting, everyone stressed the cameras are not meant as a “Big Brother” surveillance system, but rather a way to have a record of criminal incidences.
The police department likely wouldn't have anyone monitoring the video around the clock.
“This is not a project to spy on people. We're not going to watch them while their eating lunch. Ninety percent of the time, nobody's going to be watching it,” Giannotta said.
An officer walking a beat downtown might serve the community better, Councilor Matt Smith suggested. Maintaining a physical presence downtown is beneficial, but not an efficient use of an officer's time, Palesh responded.
Director of Planning and Economic Development Jennifer Haines collected feedback from people with ties to downtown. Comments ranged from people who are in favor of the cameras, to those who think the concept should be examined, to some who bristle at the idea, Haines told council.
Palesh reminded council that the downtown bus stop soon will return near the pedestrian mall, increasing foot traffic in that spot.
In other news:
* After years of talking about an expansion of the city landfill, the state Department of Environmental Conservation sent a draft permit to the city for approval.
All indications are the city can send out construction bids within a matter of weeks.
“That's a very big, positive step to go ahead,” said Paul Dudden, of Barton & Loguidice Engineers.
Dudden reviewed the document Thursday and gave an overall presentation to council.
Construction bids will come back to the city by November's end. The undertaking is predicted to cost $5.9 million, up from the estimated $5.5 million because of increasing energy prices. However, a “reasonable cushion” remains between the project's expenses and revenues, Dudden said.
He predicted the city could have up to two decades worth of landfill space, if the city laid a liner over the abandoned dump and reworked another area.
“What you own is big enough to get 20 years,” Dudden said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
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