Robert Ross visited from the Metro club
- MORE BRACELETS: More Tiger/Cougar Paw sterling silver bracelets have arrived and will be available at the club meetings. This is a club fund-raising project, and proceeds are divided between our club for local giving and our sister club in Mexico.
- CLUB DIRECTORY:
The 2005-06 Club Directory has been distributed at club meetings since early
November and will continue to be available there for club members who have
not already received a copy. Club members who want a copy and are unable
to attend should contact Steve Scott: Phone: 573-442-7268,
Fax: 573-443-1676, Email: sscott@scottlawfirm.com
- January's theme
is Rotary Awareness
"Since the beginning of civilization, there has been a surplus of sayers of things. If there is any one particular in which I would have Rotary distinguished from other organizations, it is in the quality of character which results in the doing of things."
Paul P. Harris,
Message to the 1921 RI Convention,
Edinburgh, Scotland
NEED A RIDE TO ROTARY?
The Hospitality Committee prepares get-well cards for members who are ill and can set up rides for members who can't otherwise get to meetings. Please notify Caroline Maher by email at cjmaher@gte.net, by phone at 874-8712 (work) or 874-2451 (home).
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Our program was introduced
by Cindy Sheltmire.
Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm spoke on the current state of the police
department and plans for improving equipment, training and service. Boehm
grew up in Booneville and has been police chief in Columbia for 6 years.
We now have 147 officers and are recruiting 3 more, with 33 support staff.
Twenty officers have been added since Boehm has been chief to keep up with
growth of the city.
The police department budget for fiscal year 2006 is $16.3 million. This
includes 79% for personnel salaries and benefits, with the rest for equipment,
training.
All officers carry voice recorders, which help in resolving complaints against
the officers and to provide evidence. One of the major improvements they
are adding is digital video capabilities. Digital video can capture evidence
up to 60 seconds after it happens so the officer can punch the record button
after someone has run through a light and save it, for example. The video
files are automatically downloaded to the archive when the car is parked
in the garage. It is a big advantage to not have bulky tapes to mess with.
The Columbia police force is now training with the tasers, or “stun guns”
purchased last year.
Some statistics for 2005: Columbia police responded to 60,000 calls for service.
There were 7 homicides (3-5/year is typical and 9 is the record.) All 7 were
cleared with an arrest. There are 2 unsolved homicides from 11 years ago.
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED: We are still looking for
volunteers who would like to take notes at the meeting for
this weekly newsletter publication - no more than 4-5
times a year (preferably one full month). If interested, please e-mail Tony St Romaine, or see Kristen Smarr,
Jane Phillips or Paige Scott for additional details.
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Web Editor: Tony St Romaine
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