By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Town Board issued a proclamation July 19 along with the City of Delavan and the Village of Darien recognizing law enforcement for the work they do to keep the communities safe.
“It is recognition for our law enforcement officers during what has been a trying time nationwide, and it really shouldn’t be,” Chairman Ryan Simons said.
The proclamation, signed by Simons, Delavan Mayor Mel Nieuwenhuis, and Village President Kurt Zipp, recognized the officers of all three departments and nation-wide for their dedication to protecting and serving their communities with honor, dedication and integrity.
The proclamation said law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, and the public’s recognition of the risks officers face and respect and appreciation of those officers is important.
Town of Delavan Police Chief Ray Clark said the goal of the proclamation is to make people aware of what law enforcement does. He said he believes the majority of the public supports law enforcement, and the media sometimes sensationalizes the smaller groups that do not.
Clark said the proclamation shows that the three administrations who signed it stand behind their law enforcement officers and recognize the sacrifices they make. He said law enforcement officers very often hear what they are doing wrong in the public’s eye but rarely receive any praise for what they do right. He encouraged people to let officers they see know when they think they are doing a good job.
Town of Delavan Supervisor Chris Marsicano came up with the idea for the proclamation. He said it was a reaction to the recent national events involving the shooting of police officers.
“I felt that as a greater Delavan community, we should do something to recognize the job law enforcement officers do,” Marsicano said. “They do a good job, and it is not always easy.”
Marsicano said that like any other job, there are some good police officers and some bad, though he believes 99.9 percent of them are good officers who risk their lives every day. He asked where society would be without them.
The main message he wants to get out with the proclamation and every day after its issuance is that law enforcement officers are residents’ friends and are there to help and protect them. He said getting that message out to the younger generation is very important considering things being said on social media about law enforcement.
“Chief Clark and Chief O’Neill do an excellent job,” Marsicano said. “The community of Delavan is served very well by an extremely reliable and capable leadership. We are very lucky.”
New park building
Marsicano also provided an update on the progress of the ad hoc committee he is leading to study the need for a new Community Park building. Marsicano said the committee met once in February and gave ideas to the architect it contracted.
Marsicano said the project is an extremely long-term project that the committee is in the baby steps of. He said the town has not made building a new building a priority for quick action.
“We want to take the time to go through it and get it right the first time,” he said. “This building will last for several generations.”
Marsicano said public hearings for the project might not take place for several months to a year because the architect is managing several other projects at the same time. Once the architect comes back with tangible plans, Marsicano said public hearings will be held, and they will be an important way to gain valuable input from the public about what the town needs, wants and can afford.
Marsicano said the architect is looking at constructing a new building and looking at what, if any, of the existing building can be usable. Another factor will be how buildable the land around the building is determined to be. If the land to the west of the building is not determined to be buildable, a new building might have to be built on the site of the current structure. If it is buildable, a new building could be built there, and part of the existing building could be maintained.
“There are a lot of things we have to look at,” Marsicano said.
Speed limits reduced
The board approved reducing the speed limit on Goose Pond Road from 55 mph to 45 mph as a result of several complaints from residents about reckless driving on that road.
