Keeping residents safe. There is no more important of a function by local government. If your people aren’t safe they can’t be happy. If they’re not happy, they’re going to move and your community will disappear.

While the lovely community of Kimberly, where I have knocked on doors several times over the years is far from disappearing, they face a unique decision of who handles their policing moving into the future. Fox Valley Metro or Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department (story HERE).

Now, normally, with almost any other area in local government, I’d look at the price tag. About $1.65 million to continue with Fox Valley. Or about $1.38 million to go with Outagamie County.

That’s a nice little chunk of savings you got there. You run with Outagamie and we can all go home. Right?

Except with public safety. If the wrong crisis arrives, then that financial difference won’t be remembered as savings. It will be remembered as being cheap.

Kimberly should decide on the future of their police by weighing how happy they are with their services right now.

And if the possibility of some savings will offset any changes in services they’re seeing now.

When you open up the door and look out into your street, do you feel safe?

If you need help and you call for it, will it get there in time?

What kind of relationship do you have with your existing law enforcement now and are you willing to trade that in?

Realistically, it might be one of the most important decisions the Village of Kimberly makes.

And one that will be reflected on for years to come.