Ohio Public Media Cooperative meeting set for July 7, 2014.

Ohio Public Media Cooperative meeting at Bexley Public Radio set for 4:00 p.m. Monday July 7,  2014.

The meeting location will be announced on the prior Friday morning to individuals who RSVP by the prior Thursday.

Community residents are welcome. 

Admission is $15.00 per person.

Cash, check, money order and ID.

Please RSVP to wcrxlp@yahoo.com or voice mail to (614) 235-2929 no later than the Thursday prior to the meeting.

Ohio Public Media Cooperative is a public  committee of

Bexley Public Radio Foundation

2700 E. Main St., Suite 208

Columbus, OH 43209

Security Cameras in Bexley.

Security Cameras in Bexley (Originally broadcast September 17, 2009).

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Does Bexley need more video cameras as a deterrent to petty property theft?

In a recent broadcast interview with Bexley police chief Larry Rinehart, Bexley Public Radio senior correspondent John Matuszak asked about property theft in Bexley. The chief reported that during calendar year 2008, there were more than six hundred property thefts in Bexley. In the Monday morning Dispatch newspaper, the chief is quoted as describing Bexley as "a city in peril" because of this property crime.

A two hundred dollar bicycle stolen from a Bexley garage isn't a peril for the city but the editorial collective understands the chief's point.

Six hundred thefts, mostly petty thefts, is a large number for sure but not significantly different from the property crime frequencies in Dublin, Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Westerville and Worthington.

For sure, the dollar value of stolen Bexley property is greater than these other suburbs because, well, it's a matter of quality and taste.

Sperling’s Best Places publishes crime rates in American cities on a scale of one (low) to ten. Dublin, Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Westerville and Worthington are rated at eight and Bexley alone is rated at nine. Still all of these communities including Bexley are in the same fourth statistical quartile.

Camera #2
If the average theft involves stolen property valued at $500, there is an economic impact of $300,000 each year on Bexley residents. If the average is $2,000, then the impact is $1.2 million. If damage to door frames and windows averages $1,100, there is an additional $660,000 in economic loss to residents in the community.

Those dollar amounts help to set a range for how much money might be spent prudently to respond to the problem of property theft.

Equipment needs might be eighteen network digital recorders (at $900 each), one thousand infra-red digital night video cameras ($700 each), connecting cables for each camera and installation ($350 each) for a total of $1,066,800. Operations, staffing and repairs will add another $180,000 each year. AEP, Verizon and AT&T will want some compensation when the best camera location is on a utility pole.

Bexley police chief Larry Rinehart is promoting the formation of neighborhood block-watch teams in response to the number of property crimes suffered by Bexley residents.

Camera #3
The Bexley Public Radio editorial collective wonders whether neighborhood block-watch volunteers can be assisted by video cameras.

Currently, video cameras are used in some Bexley retail stores, banks and residences. Should video cameras be installed in all commercial locations in Bexley? Should video cameras be required at all residences?

Should the city install cameras in all of the alleys and along all of the streets?

How should installation be prioritized? Does the Bexley police department analyze property theft by location? Does the police department know which neighborhoods have the highest frequency of property theft? Should frequency of theft be used to prioritize installation?

Camera #4
Does the police department know how many businesses and residences use video cameras? Does the police department have a map of Bexley that shows what views are currently recorded. Banks, CVS and carry-out convenience stores obviously use video cameras currently.

Should Bexley adopt saturation coverage by digital video cameras as part of its response to unacceptable levels of property theft?

Do Bexley residents really want video cameras recording vehicular and pedestrian movement in the neighborhoods? What happens to privacy in our neighborhoods? Is this too much a Big Brother proposal?

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Who should own the cameras, computers and discs recording digital data? Should the city own them?. Should the property insurers that carry the property risks in Bexley own the equipment? Should a Bexley property owner cooperative be formed to own the equipment? Should ownership be on a block by block basis?

Installing video cameras everywhere in Bexley sounds like a good stimulus public infra-structure program.

Listener thoughts are welcome. Email to wcrxlp@yahoo.com.

Contribute to Bexley Public Radio now!!!

This WCRX-LP editorial collective comment was first published February 15, 2009.

Bexley Public Radio Foundation broadcasting as
WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM, Local Power Radio
2700 E. Main St., Suite 208
Columbus, OH 43209
Voice (614) 235 2929
Fax (614) 235 3008
Email wcrxlp@yahoo.com
Blog http://agentofcurrency.blogspot.com

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Bexley Public Radio Foundation is exempt from federal taxes under IRC Section 501(c)(3). Donations are deductible from federal income taxes for individuals who itemize. Checks may identify the payee as Bexley Public Radio Foundation or WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM.

Design is copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Bexley Public Radio Foundation. Text is copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Bexley Public Radio Editorial collective.

Bexley Public Radio beta website.

Beta website for Bexley Public Radio can be viewed at www.bexleypublicradio.org.

Comments, criticisms and suggestions are invited.  Comments can be made on this blog or by email to wcrxlp@yahoo.com.

WCRX-LP Editorial collective

Bexley, Ohio. City Councilman Ben Kessler interviewed for WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM.

An interview with Bexley City Councilman Ben Kessler will be broadcast Tuesday through Friday in the noon to 1:00 p.m. time slot on WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM.

The interview was conducted by Timothy Nassau a student intern at WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM. Nassau is a senior at Bexley High School.

The Kessler interview includes discussion of issues facing the City of Bexley including Bexley police facilities, municipal finance and the use of paid consultants by the city government.

The councilman is also working on the Capital University proposal for zoning variance for the Sheridan Avenue condominiums.

The councilman said that city finance issues are receiving attention. Estate taxes pay on average about ten percent of the city budget or about one million dollars. The difficulty that the estate tax presents is that the proceeds are not predictable.

Kessler proposes using estate tax proceeds as a fund for capital improvements.

Kessler also said that there is a misperception in the public that Bexley has a lot of tax revenue. Unlike other municipalities, Bexley does not have large tax revenue based on commercial activities. Kessler then offered a comparison of tax revenues per resident in some other localities. Taxes per resident in Bexley are about $700 per year. For Whitehall the comparable figure is $1,000. In Worthington and Upper Arlington, tax revenue per resident is about $1,300.

As to the proposed new police station and relocation, the councilman said that there was public concern that the proposed northern location will reduce the density of police patrols in central and south Bexley. He said that if there is an effect it will be during brief periods when shifts are changed.

Kessler said that serving alcohol at Jeffrey Mansion was a campaign issue of interest to a relatively small number of residents. Although a relatively small number, the strength of their feelings on the issue made them an important part of the process. Ninety nine percent of people Kessler talks to are in favor of serving alcohol at Jeffrey Mansion. Kessler said that the Jeffrey Mansion Commission will make a proposal on the matter. He said that the second important issue about Jeffrey Mansion is the finance of repairs.

Nassau then asked about a movement for a Green Bexley. Kessler said that there isn't a specific Green proposal for Bexley but he thinks that the police station relocation involves green issues. Demolition of an existing building raises a question of getting full use out of materials in the existing structure and also disposal of those materials. He also discussed international standards for green certification of new structures. Kessler said that an advantage of the Delmar proposed site is that the new police building can be designed green.

Nassau asked about Kessler's campaign platform commitment to make it easier for citizens to get involved in local government. Kessler said that he has been in touch with the city zoning officer about placing a sign in front of the city building to announce council meetings. He said that the information that will be on the sign is currently available online. He said that the agenda for a council meeting is now available on line. He said other public documents are now available online. Kessler said that these improvements in public access are just taking the city's existing information infrastructures and populating it with information. Councilman Kessler invited comments from residents at bkessler@bexley.org.

When Nassau asked about public attendance at council meetings, Kessler said that typical attendance is five to ten residents. HE also said that some topics attract more residents to council meetings. As an example, he offered the Capital University zoning variance proposal which attracted about fifty residents to the council meeting.

Nassau and Kessler then had a brief discussion of the relative importance of national and state elections in effecting local communities. Kessler observed that state elections are more likely to quickly influence local matters. He offered an example where a new state law loosened residency requirements that quickly has an adverse impact on Bexley tax revenues.

Contact us.
WCRX-LP Editorial Collective
Bexley Public Radio Foundation operating as
WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM, Local Power Radio
2700 E. Main St., Suite 208
Columbus, OH 43209
Voice (614) 235 2929
Fax (614) 235 3008
Email wcrxlp@yahoo.com
Blog http://agentofcurrency.blogspot.com

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. Bexley Public Radio Foundation.