Five dozen cameras tracking activity in Oakland

OAKLAND — You can look at it two ways: You can see it as a safety measure or as a way to get caught doing something you shouldn’t.

The town of Oakland has installed 61 cameras around the town to help protect the buildings, facilities and other public properties, said Oakland Police Chief Steve Thomas.

They are in place at all town facilities, including parks, the water tanks and pump house, Town Meeting Hall, Town Hall and Historic Town Hall, Oakland Avenue Charter School, the police department and Public Works facilities.

The total cost for the system, including hardware, software and installation, was $63,423; it was a budgeted item purchased from the town’s General Fund.

The town will be responsible for all aspects of the system, from maintenance to monitoring.

Town Manager Dennis Foltz and the department heads developed a list of staff who will have access to the cameras for monitoring.

“The system is not designed for access by the public,” Thomas said. “We have no interest other than adding a measure of security to town properties. These cameras are placed on town buildings, facilities and public parks — where there is no expectation of privacy — for the purpose of discouraging the criminal element and allowing us the ability to better investigate any incidents that might occur at these public locations.”

He likened the cameras to a police car patrolling past any of these locations to serve as a deterrent and said they can be used as an investigative component, by providing video evidence, if a crime occurs at one of the sites.

When Thomas was hired in 2011, there already were several cameras in place at the Oakland Police Department. The video quality was beginning to degrade, he said, and he wanted to add a few more locations around the station.

“Additionally, we were working with the school to help upgrade their safety and security plan,” Thomas said. “As we continued to discuss this during staff meetings and with the improvements to our water distribution system and our public parks, we identified a need to include these additional sites.”

Oakland is the first town of this size to have this many cameras, Thomas said.

“You can come to Oakland; we’re a safe place,” he said.

TOWN HONORS LEADERS

Three members of the town commission who have played a big part in shaping Oakland will be remembered by having their names attached to places of endearment. Commissioners approved the recommendations of the Naming Committee at the Feb. 10 meeting.

Oakland has traditionally named amenities after town leaders.

“We took a step back to look at how we name things in town to make sure we were naming them appropriately,” Mayor Kathy Stark said.

The Westside Park pavilion will be named after Commissioner Willie Welch, the boat dock on Tubb Street will be named for former Mayor Jefferson “Jake” Voss, and the Speer Park gazebo will carry former Mayor Robert Montgomery’s name.

Welch became the town’s vice mayor in 1979 and has served as an Oakland town commissioner for more than 30 years.

On the dedication form, the committee wrote that Welch was committed to the whole town but focused on senior citizens and low-income housing. He was so committed to road improvements in the town that he spent 15 years personally maintaining the roads with a backhoe.

Foltz said the pavilion is perfect for Welch because he requested to have one added to the park for family reunions.

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21, with music by Anointed Ground Choir. A plaque and proclamation will be presented to the Welch family, and a monument will be unveiled.

One of Jefferson “Jake” Voss’ favorite places to relax was at the boat dock at the end of Tubb Street, and now it will carry the late mayor’s name. Voss served in World War II from 1943-46 and became an active Oakland resident after marrying Jane Briley Voss. He spent his career as an educator for Orange County Public Schools. He was a town commissioner from 1969-73 and served two terms as mayor from 1991-96.

A boat dock dedication will take place Oct. 24 during Oakland Heritage Day, just before the first boat ride of the day. A monument will mark Voss’ fishing spot, and the family will receive a proclamation and plaque.

The late Robert Montgomery was called the mayor of Speer Park, but he was really more of a guardian angel, looking after the popular gathering grounds and making sure it was safe for youth and residents. He played an active role in the playground and gazebo construction at the park. Montgomery served as a commission in 1982 and as mayor from 1983-86.

The dedication of the Speer Park gazebo will be tied into Oakland’s annual Santa Day and will take place at 1 p.m. Dec. 12. The Montgomery family will be presented a plaque and proclamation. Because he was so passionate about Model A Fords, the town is hoping to include a car display.

Members of the Naming Committee are Valerie Gibbons (chair), Harmon Biehl, Nancy Ross, Fred Shepherd and Jane Voss.

IN OTHER NEWS

• The commission voted unanimously to make changes to its policy to comply with state law, and benefits will be extended to homosexual employees.

• A change was made to the agreement the town has with homeowners’ associations. Such groups can hold their meetings for free four times a year at the meeting hall and must pay for any additional meetings. There will be no cost to meet at Historic Town Hall, as requested by Town Manager Dennis Foltz.

“When you drive by at night and the lights are on and there’s a group meeting inside — man, you just feel like this is small-town America,” he said.

• Mayor Kathy Stark read a proclamation recognizing February as National African American History Month. 

• Stark announced also that the State of the Town will be presented at 7 p.m. (refreshments at 6:30) Thursday, March 19, at the Oakland Meeting Hall. Residents are invited to attend.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].