Those who have been vandalizing the park, pool and community center in Seven Fields in recent weeks are too small-minded to recognize the ramifications of their conduct — ramifications that might be closer to them than they realize.

If the vandals are young Seven Fields residents, they haven't grasped the possibility that tax revenue paid to the borough by their parents is being used to clean up and repair the damage that they've caused.

They likewise haven't acknowledged that money used to pay borough employees to clean up or repair what they've damaged could be directed to other worthy projects.

Tom Smith, borough manager, said public works employees usually spend two to three hours cleaning up shards of glass and other damaged items.

Because of the persistent vandalism, the borough council voted Monday to install surveillance cameras that would cover every angle of the park and pool — six night-vision cameras activated by motion.

The cost of the system will be about $6,300 — money that could have been better spent elsewhere.

It's unlikely that the vandals have pondered that reality either.

Smith said the vandalism had become so frequent that, during a two-week period, there was an incident at the park every night.

In hopes of deterring the vandalism, the borough sent out a communitywide telephone call asking residents to be vigilant and call 911 if people are seen loitering near the pool at night. In addition, the borough, which has a police contract with Cranberry Township, asked the township to step up patrols there.

What has been occurring also is notice to Seven Fields that it might be sooner, rather than later, that the borough might need to give serious thought to establishing at least a small police department of its own — even if that department would be dedicated primarily to nighttime patrols.

Obviously, the borough's not having a local police force has emboldened those responsible for the ongoing vandalism. They apparently know when to expect patrols from Cranberry to be in the borough, and they also apparently know on what areas those patrols have up to now been concentrating.

As described by Smith, the vandalism has included breaking of beer bottles near the pool, resulting in shards of glass that, if not removed, pose a threat to children and adults who will be using the pool this year. Also, glass blocks in the pool house have been broken, and rubber tires on the playground have been damaged or destroyed.

Regarding the cameras, Smith said, "I think the borough could spend $6,000 somewhere else than this but, unfortunately, if it's going to continue, then we have to do what we have to do."

He's right. That cost could save money in the long run, even though it's depriving the community of funding some other project.

But those responsible for the vandalism need to wake up to the costs of what they have done and who ultimately pays the bill for their destruction.

Someday, when they are paying taxes, if they already are not doing so, it's likely that they'll have a different view about vandalism, since it will be their hard-earned money that will be helping to repair irresponsible destruction.

However, that's if they're working and paying taxes and not in jail for having committed some crime.