BEEKMANTOWN -- Town councilors have had safety and security on their mind lately.

Since March, nearly each public meeting of the Town Council has carried those same themes -- lack of outdoor lighting to the Town Hall, insufficient video surveillance and security on the park grounds behind the offices.

"The last two, maybe three, meetings I've been to -- leaving a meeting after dark, there's cars going down (to the park), I think, to pick up equipment. That's a joke," said Councilwoman Sydney Sue Garrant. "After dark, there's nothing down there. It's just bothering me."

The problem isn't a new one.

In June 2005, vandals destroyed town property and were never caught.

"There was one issue with an idiot -- I'll say idiot because it was an idiot that was doing a couple of doughnuts in the back," said Town Supervisor Dennis Relation.

At that time, there was discussion about purchasing surveillance cameras.

Recent concerns about workplace safety have brought up use of mirrors in the office, a door tone, a panic button, on-sight security and video surveillance.

Beyond changing office hours so that Town Secretary Eva Corron isn't alone during the day on Fridays, nothing much more has been done.

"Are we going to formally research the pricing of the tone on the panic button, the lighting in the parking lot (and) back there?" asked Garrant.

"I just ordered some hand-dryers for the two bathrooms," Relation said, noting he plans to ask the electrician to also install outdoor lighting. Tones for the doors and a panic buttons are still an option.

The town has taken more control of the park, he said.

"Between last year and a couple of years ago, the vandalism has gone way down. It hasn't been what it was two or three years ago."

"And I'll tell you, we also have the state troopers and the park police," Corron said. "They've come in. We have a good relationship with them, especially the court and the Town Hall (workers)."

Regulating park hours so that after 10 p.m. anyone on the property is trespassing has been helpful.