Post date: Apr 18, 2011 11:56:14 AM
To: Mayor and First Shirriff Wil Whitfoot
c/o Mayor's Office at Town Hole, Michel Delving
Second Shirriff Bodo Bunce
c/o Shirriff's Office at Town Hole, Michel Delving
Deputy Shirriff Yola Plumblossom, Editor of the Bramblebury Gazette
3 Wending Way, Bramblebury
Deputy Mayor Byronbrand Stepwise
3 Chalk Road, Bramblebury
Subject: First Official Shirriff's Report for Bramblebury
Author: Shirriff Nimelia Stoutfoot
1 Harrow Road, Bramblebury.
NOTE:
By written consent of both the Shirriff's Office and the Mayor's Office of Michel Delving, this report will, in its entirety, be published in 'The Bramblebury Gazette', for the benefit of interested Bramblebury residents. For privacy reasons, the names of offenders have been removed in some cases, due to being deemed unfit for publication. Statement of claim to divulge those names must be submitted to the Shirriff's Office in Michel Delving by the interested party, along with proper justification of request.
Bramblebury Shirriff's Report for the period of 1 Afteryule to 30 Rethe
#0: Accreditation:
The Michel Delving homesteads, while located some way south of Michel Delving proper, are nevertheless a part of the Michel Delving municipality. They are therefore generally under the jurisdiction of the Michel Delving authorities, in particular, the Mayor's office and the Shirriff's office, both located at Town Hole, Michel Delving.
However, with the steady influx of new residents from all four farthings and even beyond, the workload associated with administrating the homesteads has grown to exceed the capacity of both the aforementioned offices. It was therefore decided that in the future, local representatives are to be installed in selected homesteads, to support the main offices and take over part of the administrative work.
Just like the First Shirriff and Mayor of Michel Delving, these local representatives are to be chosen by popular election. However, unlike Michel Delving elections, which are only held every seventh year during the Free Fair around Lithe, local elections are to be held every other year, in order to allow for a greater influence of the residents on their local representation. Also, to avoid collision of local elections with Michel Delving elections, it was recommended that the former be held sometime during Foreyule.
In response to the call for local elections issued by the Mayor's Office in Michel Delving, Miss Yola Plumblossom and Master Bovso Oakengates, both of Bramblebury, formed the Bramblebury Election Committee, and thanks to their tireless efforts, Bramblebury was indeed chosen as one of the first homesteads to have local representatives.
Bramblebury elections were held on 29 Foreyule. Master Byronbrand Stepwise was elected Deputy Mayor, and the author of this report, Miss Nimelia Stoutfoot, was elected Shirriff. Effective starting 1 Afteryule, both were officially installed in their respective offices by Mayor Wil Whitfoot and Second Shirriff Bodo Bunce.
#1: Budget
Due to the fact that Bramblebury is currently the only homestead with elected local representatives, as of now there is no fixed budget assigned to individual homesteads, apart from personnel costs for the newly installed offices. Any municipal or legal expenses are brought to account with the proper office in Michel Delving on a case-by-case basis. However, the Deputy Mayor is authorized to collect taxes from homestead residents, provided tax plans are submitted in due time and process to Mayor Wil Whitfoot and approved by him.
#2: Shirriff's Office Personnel
In addition to the full-time post of local Shirriff, which is currently occupied by the author of this report, there are two part-time posts for Deputy Shirriff, currently held by the following persons:
Master Meregrim Shortfellow
Miss Yola Plumblossom
Both the above have undergone the appropriate Bounder training, have served and are serving as Bounders, and were consequently awarded the title of Honorary Shirriff by Second Shirriff Bodo Bunce. The Bramblebury Shirriff's office is happy to report that both proved to be perfectly reliable.
#3 Incident Statistics:
Reckless riding: 17
Severe cases of overeating: 5
Riding under the influence: 3
Grave indisposition due to spoiled pies: 2
Compensation granted for shrew damage: 2
Fire damage to property: 1
Loss of pie: 1
#4: Calls answered by the Shirriff's Office:
Date: 17 Afteryule
Miss Tibba Stoutfoot reported a prized pumpkin stolen from her yard. Upon close examination of the surroundings, a trail leading northward towards the South Fields could be found, littered with bits of pumpkin. At the end of the trail, on the border of the south fields, some remains of the pumpkin were found. It was determined that, in a move of unprecedented boldness, shrews had apparently invaded into the homestead and found that particular pumpkin irresistible enough to devour some of it on the spot and carry the rest back to the south fields. In response to this incident, a partial fence has been set up at the border to the south fields.
Status: Closed.
Date: 2 Solmath
Master Bardoric Oatroot reported his trusty pony Mary missing. Investigation of the surrounding area yielded no hints as to the whereabouts of the pony. Bounders and farmers were given a description of the pony and asked to immediately report any sightings to the Bramblebury Shirriff's office. However, only three reports came in, all of which turned out to be in error.
It should be noted that not long after this incident, Master Dyronbrand Stepwise posted a most unusual advertisement, which naturally raised suspicious among the Bramblebury residents, not least with Master Bardoric himself.
However, the Shirriff's office would like to ask all concerned residents, but in particular Master Bardoric, to consider this: It is well known that Master Dyronbrand has a rather dark sense of humour. One would not put it past him to deliberately set up the above circumstantial evidence in order to further confound poor Master Bardoric. It is still possible that Mary has simply run off and is now grazing on a lush field somewhere.
Status: Suspended until emergence of further evidence.
Date: 12 Solmath
Miss Yola Plumblossom reported a break-in at the offices of The Bramblebury Gazette. Upon examining the scene of the crime and the surrounding areas, the perpetrator could be identified. Consequently, he was questioned by the Shirriff, but failed to give a satisfying explanation for his offence. However, while he did handle some of the printing plates, he did not effect any damage, neither to the plates nor to the lock he had skillfully picked. In accordance with the the injured party, represented by Miss Yola Plumblossom, and considering certain mitigating circumstances, it was therefore decided to abstain from pressing charges. The lock was replaced by a more modern one, and the perpetrator was released with an admonition.
Status: Closed.
Date: 5 Astron
In the early evening hours, a fire broke out in Master Bardoric Oatroot's burrow, which unfortunately could not be extinguished in sufficient time and therefore consumed most of the burrow. When the Shirriff arrived on the scene, Deputy Mayor Master Byronbrand Stepwise had already stepped forward and explained that through an unfortunate accident, he was responsible for the fire. He had entered the burrow to update the tax inventory for the Mayor's Office, and when he accidentally kicked over a candle, the rapid spreading of the fire had caught him by surprise, and he had barely managed to make it out unharmed. Master Byronbrand has in the meantime paid for all damages done, so no aid payments had to be requested from the Mayor's office, and since nobody was hurt during the incident, no further investigation was deemed necessary.
Status: Closed.
Date: 17 Astron
Master Dyronbrand Stepwise has reported the loss of two moonstones.
Status: Open.
#5: Calls outside Bramblebury:
In Solmath, and again in Rethe, the Bramblebury Shirriff's Office was contacted by an assistant of Mayor Wil Whitfoot concerning incidents of disorderly conduct in Michel Delving, allegedly committed by a hobbit with no registered residency, but who is known to have relatives in Bramblebury. Consequently, the Bramblebury Shirriff's office had to be called in on the case. Upon closer investigation, it soon became painfully obvious that the accusations were not entirely unfounded. In the course of a stakeout at the auction house and the market place, several incidents of pickpocketing committed by the suspect were observed. Fortunately, both the alleged as well as the confirmed incidents were all confined to petty theft. The case was then handed over to the Bramblebury Shirriff's Office, where it was decided that, given the precarious situation of the perpetrator, prosecution and punishment would do more harm than good, and it was left at an admonition.
#6: State of the properties
As far as the condition of the burrows in Bramblebury is concerned, everything seems to be in order. There are a few estates along Harrow Road that are not currently inhabited; however, the respective owners are on extended travels and have registered their absence with the Mayor's office, and have paid their standard maintenance fees in advance.
A total of five burrows are currently closed down due to the owners failing to renew their maintenance contract with the Mayor's office, and not giving due explanation. It is of course unfortunate that there are uninhabited burrows, considering that several hobbits have approached the Deputy Mayor's Office in Bramblebury expressing interest in buying a burrow there. However, in order to avoid wrongful judgement on such an important matter, the disposession of a burrow is a long and complicated legal process, and no date has been announced for either of them.
#7: Closing remarks
As can be seen in the above list of incidents, Bramblebury is a proper hobbit homestead: Quiet and peaceful, for the most part. That is not to say that it is uneventful, however. Quite the contrary - a good number of social events have been organized in and around Bramblebury, and its residents are usually right at the front lines when it comes to boldly facing occasions to celebrate and be merry.
To a great deal, this is owed to the fact that two highly esteemed Shire kinships are represented among the residents of Bramblebury: The brimming-with-spirit People of the Shire, and the ever mysterious but no less active Grand Order of the Lost Mathom. We would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for their continuous efforts in making the Shire a better place to live. May their larders never run out of pies.
Signed: Bramblebury, 20 Astron
Nimelia Stoutfoot, Shirriff
1 Harrow Road, Bramblebury
Approved: Michel Delving, 24 Astron
Wil Whitfoot, Mayor and First Shirriff
Town Hole, Michel Delving
Approved: Michel Delving, 22 Astron
Bodo Bunce, Second Shirriff
Town Hole, Michel Delving