PARKS DEPARTMENT

DUE THE RECENT GRAFFITI ON THE BRIDGE AT SHANTOK , TREES IN SHANTOK POND, RUTS ON THE WALKWAYS AND OTHER THINGS, MAYBE IT IS TIME THAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL REVISIT MAKING A SEPARATE PARKS DEPARTMENT. THIS DEPARTMENT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE 93 ACRE COCHEGAN ROCK PROPERTY.

ALTHOUGH WE THINK PUBLIC WORKS REALLY HARD AT KEEPING SHANTOK UP, A PARKS DEPARTMENT COULD JUST CONCENTRATE ON MAKING IT LOOK TERRIFIC. WE FEEL THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS A LOT ON THEIR PLATES AND THAT THEY ARE BEING OVERWHELMED BY THE WORK. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD PUBLIC WORKS DOES REPAIRS ON TRIBAL HOUSING. THEY MOVE TENANTS AROUND. THEY DO YARD MAINTENANCE, FIX BROKEN PIPES, ETC . I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IN THE WINTER SOMETIMES THE SNOW IS NOT PLOWED ON THE PARKING LOTS AND ROADWAYS AT SHANTOK. IT SEEMS THEY HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO DO AND NOT ENOUGH WORKERS.

IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT IS BUSY WE COULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE DOING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORK IF NEEDED. IN THE WINTER IT COULD GO DOWN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE. THEY COULD TAKE THE PERSONS FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND ASSIGN THE PERSONS TO BE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. THE PERSONS COULD PERIODICALLY GO TO COCHEGAN ROCK AND KEEP THAT UP TOO.

THAT BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER POINT, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SECURITY THERE TWENTY FOURS A DAY. I THINK WE COULD JUST TAKE SEVERAL SECURITY PEOPLE AND JUST ASSIGN THEM TO A PARKS SECURITY DETAIL. THEY WOULD STILL BE A PART OF TRIBAL SECURITY. THE SECURITY PEOPLE COULD BE GIVEN GATORS (ATVS) SO THAT THEY COULD GO EVERYWHERE IN THE PARK. THEY COULD ALSO CHECK ON WEST SIDE OF SHANTOK ROAD WHICH IS ALSO THE PARK. AT NIGHT THE PARK SECURITY COULD CHECK THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING. THEY COULD ALSO GO TO COCHEGAN ROCK AND CHECK IT OUT.

SHANTOK IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TRIBAL PEOPLE TO BE OUR MOST VALUABLE SACRED AND HISTORIC PLACE. SHOULDN'T WE KEEP IT LOOKING GREAT AND PROTECTING IT FROM VANDALS? OTHER TRIBAL MEMBERS BELEIVE THAT COCHEGAN ROCK IS OF GREAT HISTORICAL AND SACRED VALUE.

I THINK IT IS TIME , THE TRIBAL COUNCIL SHOULD REVISIT THE IDEA OF A PARKS DEPARTMENT. THEY SHOULD ALSO KEEP SECURITY THERE AT ALL TIMES.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE CARE OF ASHBOW BURIAL GROUNDS, THE NORWICH ROYAL BURIAL GROUNDS AND THE NEW ROYAL BURIAL GROUNDS MONUMENT.