News

June 18, 2009

Some residents question new Harveys Lake police position

Council seeks to create new part-time police chief administrative job.

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

HARVEYS LAKE – Residents grilled council members Tuesday night over concerns about the proposed creation of a new part-time police chief administrative position.

Council presented 10 applications for the new spot and as much information as it said it could could legally provide.

The new police chief part-time administrative position would save the borough money, Council President Lawrence Lucarino said.

The position would be 30 hours a week on a rotating shift and pay $30,000, but there would be no health benefits. Lucarino said it is a $24,000 savings to the borough.

Residents questioned council about the difference between a “working police chief” verses an administrative one. Council member Betty Jane West said an administrative chief would be handling the massive amount of paper work and “would be out at 2 a.m. or 3 p.m. on a rotating shift to check on other officers.”

West addressed residents’ confusion as to why a staffing change was needed by saying there are personnel issues that cannot be discussed at this time. “These problems have been going on for quite a few years,” she said.

In response to a question from resident and mayor’s wife Michelle Boice, Lucarino said there would be more information available at the next meeting and that council needs time to review the applications and conduct interviews. He said he hopes the council will have a candidate for approval by the next meeting.

Before the end of the meeting, council member Clarence Hogan made a motion to make Charles Musial, a board member and police officer, a full-time chief. But council members Diane Dwyer, Edward Kelley, Lucarino and West voted no, stating correct procedure must be followed.

In other business, Fred Rosencrants from Luzerne County 911 gave an update on the 911 readdressing of properties.

Rosencrants said the project was contracted out to a company called GeoComm from Minnesota. He said its employees would be coming to the borough in the coming weeks to make a GPS point at every pole number, which will not change, to serve as lankmarks.

Kathy Liljequist of GeoComm, said staff members will be contacting the borough when they enter the area and Luzerne County 911 daily. She said their goal is to confirm unmarked home addresses and use pole numbers as landmarks.

GeoComm staff will be wearing shirts with the company name, carry badges and be driving white vehicles. She said company policy prohibits them from entering a home.

At the end of the process, the old box and rural route numbers will be gone, she said. New addresses with street names will be assigned. Residents will receive mailings from the municipality and post offices with the approved new addresses.

Liljequist said the field work should be completed in a few weeks. She hopes by the end of August or early September to have the address information to the post office.

The next council meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. July 21 in the municipal building.

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