Ortonville- A regular police presence is being considered for the Brandon Township Library.
Library board members will meet with Brandon substation Sgt. Tim McIsaac, Brandon Township Supervisor Ron Lapp and a representative from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 6 in the library conference room to discuss the possibility of having a Brandon deputy in the library from 2:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. on school days.
Paula Gauthier, assistant library director, said the library board had asked her to gather information regarding additional police coverage because of ongoing problems with student behavior after school and incidents of vandalism to the building located at 304 South St.
She cited the most recent incident as from about two weeks ago when someone urinated all over the walls, floors, sinks and toilet tissue in the stalls in the men’s bathroom.
‘It was a mess,? Gauthier says. ‘The board will discuss whether we would have that outcome if we had a police presence.?
The library has had similar acts of bathroom vandalism as well as vandalism to furniture and permanent fixtures in the past. By some accounts, the library has had problems almost since it moved five years ago into the new building adjacent to Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School. Up to 150 students have been in the library on any given day after school. Rowdy children and even just the sheer number of children have deterred adult patronage and caused problems for library staff.
The troubles led library officials to have a public forum in May to discuss the issues and solutions. From that forum, a Community After School Task Force was formed. The group meets monthly to work on activities for children after school, both at the library and elsewhere.
Additionally, school officials created ‘The Mind and Motion Club,? an after-school fitness and academic club aimed at fifth and sixth graders and the Ortonville Baptist Church now offers ‘After-School Thing,? on Tuesdays, where children can use the church’s gym under adult supervision to play games, or the lobby to do homework or socialize. But the efforts have received lukewarm response. The M & M Club was launched twice, and even after changes (prices were lowered to $6 a day) the club has attendance of about 10 kids per day, likewise for the church program, which is free of charge.
More than two months ago, with library problems continuing, the staff asked Brandon deputies to make the building a regular stop after school.
If the board decides to have a constant police presence between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. on school days, it will cost the library $57 per hour, the overtime rate for deputies, says McIsaac.