CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Supervisors approved the purchase of security cameras for the municipal building at their monthly meeting on Wednesday night, Feb. 7.

The cameras will be purchased from the J.E. Foss Company, an audiovisual supplier based in Bridgeville, at a cost of $9,350.

Solicitor Andrew Menchyk said the decision to purchase security cameras was made for several reasons.

“The supervisors made the decision out of concern for public safety and security, and for legal liability reasons, as well as workman’s comp liability reasons,” said Menchyk. “Just safety for both persons and property.”

Board chairman Lawrence Spangler said the cameras would help keep the building secure in the hours security guards would not be available to patrol it.

“One day we came in and that glass was shattered,” Spangler said, pointing to a nearby exit door. “Nobody knows how that happened.”

J.E. Foss was one of two companies that offered bids to supply cameras. The other, Secure Technical Solutions, put in a significantly higher bid of about $20,000.

According to Spangler, the work of monitoring the cameras will be performed by the township.

At the meeting, some residents said they think the expense is unnecessary. One resident, Roy Gilliland, brought up how, at the previous month’s meeting, the township decided against having a physical police presence at township meetings.

“You said you don't even need a police officer. Why would you need to spend $9,000 or $10,000 on security?” Gilliland asked. “Is anything being stolen?”

However, Spangler justified the expense by saying the cameras would also help protect the township against liability in the event of unforeseen incidents.

“In today’s world, there are cameras everywhere.” Spangler said. “For our own security, for all kinds of things, for lawsuits, for workman's comp, for employee theft ... they're everywhere. I don't think there's a business out there that doesn't have security cameras.”