The Mayor’s Corner 01/27/2020

This is the time of year when things are fairly slow around the city. The various city crews are doing projects that they may not have time for later in the year. Barbeque pits are being rebuilt in the park. Fire inspections are being performed. Machinery is being rebuilt, etc.
This is also the time of year when we start planning our budget for 2021. It may seem to be way in advance, but it is a deliberate process that takes a lot of thought. In fact, for capital expenses the city looks five years into the future to try to see what the needs are in order to have the funds lined up when the time comes. This prevents surprises and emergencies later and helps us keeps our/your expenses down so your dollars are spent wisely.
There was an incident this past week with a child that serves as a reminder that we all need take precautions in protecting our kids. The incident did not result in harm to the child because she did exactly what she needed to do. But, this is a good reminder that knowing what to do is so important.
As parents, know where your children are supposed to be at all times. Children tend to be most vulnerable when walking to and from places. When walking, if possible, have them walk with at least one other person. If approached by a stranger in a car, instruct them not to and keep walking. If the stranger approaches on foot, scream, fight, and run if possible. Run to a house to get help. And always REPORT the incident. We want to keep this the safest city in Idaho for all us, especially our children.
Also, apparently there have been a number of thefts in town recently, particularly from unlocked vehicles. We are saying apparently, because only two have been reported, but multiple people have made claims on social media. This brings up three issues.
The first is to lock your cars and your home any time you are not there. Weiser is a very safe town to live in and it is easy to be lulled into thinking there is no need to be concerned with the inconvenience of locking behind you. However, this is a very simple way to remove the temptation from someone to take advantage of you. Most crimes are ones of opportunity. If you remove the simple opportunity, it is much less likely someone will take advantage of you.
Second, if you are the victim of or witness to a theft or any other crime, report it. There are twelve police officers in town responsible for 24/7 coverage. It is rare that they actually witness a crime. We need your eyes, too. The more that gets reported, the better chance there is of putting all of the pieces together to resolve these situations. It takes all of us to make this the safest city in Idaho.
Third, if you are warming your car in the morning either stay in it while it is warming, or have a second set of keys so you can lock it behind you if you leave the car. Again, please don’t create the opportunity/temptation for someone to take advantage of you.
Well that’s it for this week. Thank you again, for the privilege to be your mayor!