CHESTER CHIEF STANDS BY HIS DECISION TO CUT D.A.R.E.

CHESTER -- No headway was made on restoring the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education program to Chester Academy during a meeting between Chester
Police Chief Al Wagner and the board of selectmen Thursday night.

However, both sides agreed the possibility of restoring the program
for the second semester remains alive.

Wagner sent a letter to Chester Academy on Aug. 4 informing the school
that, for the first time in nine years, the police department would
not be funding a $160-a-day DARE-school resource officer program that
puts Deputy Chief Bill Burke in the building one day a week during the
school year. In his letter, Wagner said townwide budget cuts were the
reason for the change.

At Thursday night's selectmen's meeting, Selectman Michael Weider said
budget cuts should not be the reason. The only money cut from Wagner's
proposed budget, Weider said, was money for a full-time officer. Funds
for current programs and staffing had remained in place, he said.

Weider also said that when Wagner had met with the board only a few
days before the letter, he had not expressed any concerns over having
the money to keep the DARE program intact.

"There should've been a conversation before telling the school that,"
he said. "I wish we had known before you did that."

Wagner said that despite selectmen's claims that his budget still had
the money, he has yet to receive a finalized budget for this fiscal
year, which started on July 1, and so did not want to commit to any
programs.

"I do not have a working budget," he said. "I think it's unfair to
commit to something. I don't know if I have the money."

Wagner never agreed to fund the program, but did say that when he does
receive his final budget he would consider trying to find the money to
re-establish the program in January. The program, which is supposed to
run for 17 weeks, would cost roughly $3,000, and several audience
members said they would be willing to raise that amount if necessary.

Wagner also said that it was ultimately his decision, because it is
his department.

"We're not trying to tell you how to run your business," Weider
said.

"Sure sounds like it," Wagner replied.

Selectman Leroy Scott suggested that the DARE program, which several
audience members and selectmen praised as extremely valuable, was more
necessary than other priorities Wagner was still funding.

"I think the DARE program may be more important than some conferences
and seminars we might be paying for," Scott said, referring to money
earmarked for police training.