GREENFIELD — A town councilor has drafted a resolution calling for security cameras on the Town Common after the creche put up annually by the Keep Christ in Christmas Committee was vandalized for at least the third year in a row.
The council’s Community Relations and Education Committee voted unanimously to recommend the resolution, written by Precinct 4 Councilor Wanda Muzyka-Pyfrom, to the full council. Muzyka-Pyfrom began working on the resolution last month after the creche was vandalized by an unknown person(s).
“We are long overdue for cameras on the common,” she said. “Unfortunately, this particular incident has taken three years in a row to open some eyes and get things moving.”
Muzyka-Pyfrom’s resolution calls upon Mayor William Martin to send an appropriation to the council for approval of the full cost of one or more cameras to provide security for people and property on the common. It also authorizes the mayor to apply for and spend any state, federal or private grants or gifts for such a purpose, and adopt a policy of storing video footage in conformity with other town policies governing the storage of security footage on other town-owned property.
The proposed resolution originally listed the recent vandalism of the creche as a reason for installing cameras in the area, but the Community Relations and Education Committee voted to remove that language from the draft before sending it to the full council.
“I just don’t think the purpose of this has anything to do with religion,” Precinct 8 Councilor Ashli Stempel said, adding the cameras should be installed for everyone’s benefit.
Council Vice President Isaac Mass said he also thinks it’s time for cameras on the common. He noted that this is the first time the council will formally ask the mayor to appropriate money in advance of the budget.
“I think it’s an interesting first step for the process of budgeting,” Mass said.
Town Council will vote on the resolution during an upcoming meeting.