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Williamsburg to require community service for Shop With a Cop participants
Posted On 10 Nov 2015
Above, Williamsburg Police Officer Brandon White shops with two youngsters during the 2014 Shop With a Cop program. This year, the city will require parents or guardians of all those who benefit from the program to perfom some community service.
Participants in the Williamsburg Police Department’s Shop with a Cop program or their parents or guardians will be required to perform some kind of community service this year in order to take part in the program.
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison informed the city council about the change, which is part of his Community Reinvestment Program, during its monthly meeting Monday.
The program will require the children, if they are old enough, to perform eight hours of community service in order to take part.
If the children are too young, then the parents or guardians will be expected to perform the community service.
Harrison said there is a list of things that people can participate in to get community service credit and it isn’t just things like picking up trash along roadways or raking leaves at Briar Creek Park, but those are two options for people who are interested.
For instance, a single mother, who has had difficulty getting a job, could take a class that would prepare her for a job interview and how to write a resume, or a grandparent could take an art class through the Cooperative Extension Service.
Harrison said he has spoken with the school family resource centers, who nominate the children for participation in the program, and they are all on board.
"Are we going to lose some, yes," Harrison said. "We already have some, who refuse to work. There will be a lot who fall through the cracks this year."
Harrison said he decided to bring about the change because more people seem to be "expecting" something for nothing. He cited the instance of one family last year, who decided not to allow their children to take part in Shop with a Cop because they were going to have to stand in line at Wal-Mart to check out.
Harrison said the woman thought she and her children should have been moved ahead of other customers to the front of the line and left because of that.
"The hope is that children will see that mom, dad, maybe Aunt Betty or Uncle Fred had to do a little bit of work and I got to go shopping," Harrison said.
"I think it is a great idea. I feel like it could explode. I think that is a wonderful idea," noted Councilwoman Patty Faulkner.
City Attorney Greta Price noted that the city might actually see an increase from some people who didn’t want to participate before because they don’t want to accept charity and want to feel like they are earning something.
During its monthly meeting Monday, the council also discussed a need for city residents to be more aware about the antennas on their new water meters, of which 10 have already been broken including four in the past week.
Harrison said many of the antennas are being damaged when people mow their lawns too closely or clip the antennas with their weed eaters.
Harrison said the cost to replace the water meter antennas is about $140.
Councilmember Richard Foley asked if the city needed to look at charging local residents to replace the antennas.
Harrison said he is concentrating for now on making people more aware of the problem.
Harrison said that there are only about 13 water meters left in town that will need to be replaced as part of the city’s energy savings program.
Once installation of all the new water meters is complete, city officials anticipate seeing a revenue increase because of how inaccurate the old meters were.
Harrison said that it might take another six months to get all the kinks worked out.
After that, he said city officials would probably conduct a rate study to determine if the sewer rate should be increased because the expense to treat the sewage continues to rise.
"We maybe looking at a sewer rate increase," Harrison warned.
In addition, Harrison announced that he has been working with Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird on an ordinance to regulate the use of mopeds in the city limits.
Harrison said there has been a series of accidents involving the machines and that several people have gotten injured on major roadways.
The proposed ordinance will probably be similar to the golf cart ordinance and will require the vehicles to be insured, licensed, have a licensed driver and will limit them to roadways where the speed limit is 25 mph or less.
Harrison said this is essentially every road in the city limits except US25W and Ky. 92.
Harrison added that the city would like to start offering golf cart rentals at the RV park, which is located adjacent to the waterpark.
Harrison said he hopes to eventually get a traffic light installed at the entrance to the waterpark on Ky. 92 and perhaps install a bicycle and golf cart lane leading from the waterpark to Wal-Mart so RV park visitors could drive the golf carts there to pick up supplies.
In other business, the council:
• Received an update on the planned Christmas Bazaar that will take place at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center on Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The bazaar is for crafters, who make Christmas crafts. So far over 20 are scheduled to take part.
At 6 p.m. on Dec. 12, the annual Christmas parade will take place. It will be followed at 7 p.m. by the annual Christmas caroling in Bill Woods Park, the town ornament exchange and decorating of the town Christmas tree, which is also the memorial tree.
Harrison noted that people can place ornaments on the tree in honor of departed friends and relatives.
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True, you commented so go do your Community Service
Randy15 I really like your idea of levying a tax on everyone so the children can get Christmas gifts. What a great way for the community to give to those who are less fortunate. If there is any money left over, which I doubt, maybe the money collected can be used to fund other projects for the children. As they say our children are the future of America. Lets teach them to help those who are less fortunate.
I think everybody commenting on here should have to do some type of community service for your Christmas gifts since you are for it so much.
I think this is WONDERFUL it will encourage a feeling of something work for, that they earned the opportunity for their child, to have a gift I love the part were he suggest taking a class to help find work that would be two gifts in one, if you can someone not only have self respect for there self but maybe get a job then you have not only help but blessed them, I am a single mother I would have work for this it would have been no problem, I want to thank each officers that take there time to help these families.
You’re correct Frances it does take money to buy these gifts for the children. I doubt the people who are complaining would give anything. Maybe the Police Dept should raise the amount of the fine for speeding tickets and other violations by a small amount to cover the costs for these gifts. Or the City could raise property taxes or increase taxes on utilities and use that money for gifts. This way everyone in Williamsburg will be involved in funding these gifts for the children. Or even better the City can charge a special tax on tourists and use that money for the gifts, so tourists will pay for these gifts. Any way you look at it money is involved.
1 John 3:17
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
You people that are griping, where do you think the money comes from to Shop with A Cop ?. They have the Mud Bog to raise money for one thing,I’m sure there other things they do. People give donations . Hey that’s an ideal, give $25. or more to shop with a cop fund… Then the Cops has to spend time doing the shopping with the children. You usually have to stand in line when grocery shopping so whats the big deal on standing in line on this. So do Community service , it want hurt you.
What is wrong here: I’m a retired disabled veteran, if a child needs me to work I WILL
It’s a shame that the only way to spite the self entitled is to target the kids. So much for Christmas spirit. I understand that the “entitled Welfaretuckians” suck but this just seems spiteful. Seems about like charging kids for Halloween candy. It’s the season of giving smh just sad.
Ronnie, just because 10th Street is open and the water is turned back on doesn’t mean a able bodied person like me has to work. I’m living off the government, try it you’ll like it.
Rando Calyers you are correct, he never said anything like that. The Bible does say Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.
All this fighting over Christmas gifts for children? That’s the spirit that makes Williamsburg great!
Sit around and let someone else take care of me should be the city’s motto. I’m so proud to live here. I can’t wait until Ryan’s opens their restaurant here maybe they’ll let us eat for free if we pick up garbage.
What is wrong with people who object to this change. Several of the things listed aren’t even work … they are programs to help lift people out of poverty.
Why would someone want to be offended that they TAKE A CLASS ON HOW TO WRITE A RESUME’ AND INTERVIEW FOR A JOB?
Could it be that their fear is that they might become self sufficient?
No such thing as a free lunch, kids! America ain’t about freeloading, it’s about hard work to get what you want!
Wow! More right wing Whitley County “Republican” bullcrap! Why give with guilt attached? You sure know how to take the Christ out of Christmas! Sure there are people who take advantage of this service, but how bout the ones that dont? Is Roddy Harrison pulling out his personal billfold? Nope. Take the kids to Walmart but punish their parents with community service as if they are criminals because they are less fortunate. Bah Hum bug!
sure marsha easy to run your mouth on the internet but you prolly wouldnt do anything betcha
mr. bill you prolly get disability check just like most the others on here running their mouths
Why do you dumbasses automatically assume that none of the people whose kids benefit from this work? Just because someone is poor doesn’t automatically make them lazy. Use your heads for something besides nodding constant amens to stupid ideas.
Why do you dumbasses automatically assume that none of the people whose kids benefit from this work? Just because someone is poor doesn’t automatically make them lazy. Use your heads for something besides nodding constant amens to stupid ideas.
Williamsburg is such a rotten hole in the earth. It figures they would do something like this just to get attention.
Yes Mr Bill, there are several instances in the Bible of Jesus saying, “Here, let me heal your illness, but you need to go pick some trash up off the side of the road first.” Come on…
I agree it is a great idea to spend a little time and effort to help pay for a gift for someone else. Isn’t that what Jesus would do? It’s sad that some people think they are entitled to handouts and the cost of those handouts come from hard working people. I’m glad my parents raised me with a sense of what hard work does for a person. Have a Blessed Holiday Season!
Giving with strings attached is not really giving at all. Bad move on the part of the city. Not in the Christmas or Christian spirit at all.
Jennifer the bar codes are drawn through so that the items can’t be returned.
These are two of my boys in the photo and I was very grateful for them being chose to do this! I was NOT one of the parents that bitched about standing in line or for any other reason! I wasn’t asked to do community service but that is probably because I have a JOB….but if I was asked to do community service work just so my boys could get to do this, yes I would have!
I really think this a great you know kids need to learn early that this a gift and it don’t hurt to give a little to im so for this I know my child and grandchildren would love this a big thanks to our city to just thinking of our children and grandchildren
What a great idea! I retired after 33 years of working…….a little more than 8 hours. If my Grandchildren could qualify now,I would work whatever hours needed so my Grandchildren could have even more!!!! My children are the world to me…..whatever it takes!!!
They could print out a receipt for the gifts the kids have chosen and stamp it with something verifying the items were purchased through the Shop With A Cop program and can’t be returned for cash.
I think it is a great idea for the parents/guardians or grandparents to do the 8 hours community service, not the kids. It’s they’re Christmas after all. It won’t hurt the adult one bit to do it . And after all the returns of the kids presents last year for the cash after the shop with a cop program I was hoping they would make some sort of change. One thing they could do since the children are picking the gifts is to cut the barcodes off the packaging and item so they can’t be returned.
I think it is a great idea for the parents/guardians or grandparents to do the 8 hours community service, not the kids. It’s they’re Christmas after all. It won’t hurt the adult one bit to don’t. And after all the returns of the kids presents last year for the cash after the shop with a cop program I was hoping they would make some sort of change. One thing they could do since the children are picking the gifts is to cut the barcodes off the packaging and item so they can’t be returned.
I think that is A great Idea .But those poor kids that are going to be left out because there parents don’t want to work A whole 8 hours or stand in line at Wal-mart so there kid can have A good Christmas .I think we all should give back to the community if they give to us.
Okay, Ms. Poynter…..you say doing 8 hours of community service is terrible? But what about the parents and grandparents that actually work 8 or more hours a day all year so they can buy their children Christmas presents? If I were the parent or grandparent of a child and had the opportunity to perform 8 hours of community service so that my child could receive Christmas presents, I would be grateful to do so.
I think this is a great idea. As Mayor Harrison stated some people are taking advantage of the program. Theu gave up Christmas gifts for their children because they didn’t want to stand in line. Doesn’t sound very grateful to me. As a parent of younf children, if my children were picked for the program I would be honored to help out any way that I could, anywhere I was needed.
Tperhis is terrible. to say your going to give a Christmas present to a child and then say you have to work 8 hrs ? how is this giving? You have taken the whole spirit of giving at Christmas out of your good deed.