If the eight municipalities that use OPP services in Dufferin were to combine to hire a “civilian data entry” (CDE) person for about $42,000 a year, it would free the time of enough uniformed officers to provide about $380,000 worth of added patrols.

That’s an approximation of the value of a program that, according to Dufferin OPP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Steve Sills, is being suggested by OPP regions across the province.

Staff Sills has made the proposal to all eight municipalities, along with a spreadsheet to indicate individual cost/savings and the added hours of patrol to be gained.

Melancthon Township, which appears to have abandoned a recent proposal to replace the OPP with the Shelburne Police Services, has decided it will go along with the CDE proposal, provided that the other seven municipalities get on board.

According to the spreadsheet, the basic cost to Melancthon of the CDE would be $6,360 but the officer value would be $57,978. For other municipalities, with cost followed by value, these are the figures: Mono $13,266 – $123,686; East Luther Grand Valley $5,147 – $46,383; East Garafraxa $4,100 – $38,652; Amaranth $6,193 – $57,978; and Mulmur $6,779 – $61,844.

Staff Sills could not be reached for comment as to how the officer savings might be applied – either as a reduction in costs for the same level of service, or as an increase in police presence at no added cost.

In other township business, Melancthon council will consider amending its Development Charges bylaw to stipulate that the DCs do not apply to bona fide agricultural buildings.

The issue was raised recently by Dufferin Federation of Agriculture which had surmised that the DC would be applied as the bylaw contains no specific exemption.

However, says Mayor Debbie Fawcett, the township has never attempted to collect a DC for any farm structure as, in broader sense, the exemption is implied by the purpose of the DC which is to have new homes, business or the like pay a fair share of their added costs of township services.

Farm structures do not place an added burden, she said, and therefore would not be subject to the charge.