Divisions arise over police contract talks
EVANS CITY — Divisions have resurfaced as borough council considers a proposal to extend a regional police contract and add stability to the department in anticipation of contract negotiations with the union in a year or two.
At a meeting earlier this month, some residents and one Evans City council member pushed back on the proposal, with some asking why the borough can't spend less on police coverage and others opposing regionalization of police altogether.
While council voted to table the motion to extend the contract, the issue will be discussed Monday at the commission meeting of the Evans City/Seven Fields Regional Police Department at 5:15 p.m. at the Seven Fields Borough office. Both municipalities have three seats on the commission.
The current 10-year contract began in 2015. The proposal is to extend the contract five more years, into 2030.
“What they want to do is hire another officer, but they don't want to just hire him for just five years,” Councilman Kim Armstrong said. “They want to give another 10 years, rather than just hire him for five years, then quit.”
Additionally, council President Lee Dyer said the commission hopes to have the contract extension in place before union negotiations begin within the next year or two.
Regionalization costs
Dyer made the case for the department, saying in the nearly four years since it began, regionalization has saved the borough around $150,000, putting his initial misgivings to rest.
“My views have changed because of the cost savings,” Dyer said. “I am firmly convinced that small boroughs in Pennsylvania — if they don't find ways to hold hands with their neighbors and share expenses, they're going to lose services to their residents sooner or later.”
Mayor Dean Zinkhann agreed, saying if the savings continue as expected, he sees no reason not to stick with the department as is.
“As long as we're saving money and keeping it on an even keel, Lee (Dyer) and I both don't see anything wrong for it,” he said.
Residents at the meeting raised concerns about Seven Fields growth leading to increased costs that Evans City would have to shoulder.
“Sooner or later, they're going to eat us alive,” said John McKinney, a former council member.
Cindy Caldwell, EDCO pool manager, asked why the borough couldn't end the regionalization and make the department live within a smaller budget.
“What if we take back what we've given away and shared and said, 'This is our budget — for the Evans City police department, (it's) $300,000 for the next five years?'” she said. “Live within that budget to provide the coverage.”
Dyer said that the borough tried this before regionalization, but there was such an outcry from residents that they found it couldn't be done.
“I can tell you that's absolutely been tried and it was very unsuccessful,” he said. “Prior to Seven Fields coming aboard, we spent a fair amount of effort ... (The town) was very vocal about not reducing the police department. There were threats.”
Addressing concerns about the growth of Seven Fields, Dyer said the way the agreement works is that as the population changes, the amount each community pays might change as well.
If Seven Fields grows as marked by the next census, the percentage of the budget it pays might increase, Dyer said, while Evans City might pay less.
“We're paying for our budget,” he said, “we're paying for our population. They're paying for their population.”
Opt-out clause
Council member Matt Otto asked how an extension would affect the opt-out clause in the contract, which allows a borough to drop out of the agreement at the eight-year mark.Council was unable to speak definitively on the matter at the meeting, although police administrator Tom Smith later answered via email that the opt out would be unaffected.Still, Otto said he wanted to know more about the contract before voting on it.“If the budget was to increase or if there was some sort of increase, the biggest thing is making sure we have a way out,” he said. “As long as the projections continue, we're going to be saving money. It's well worth it, but it could change at any time.”He plans to go to Monday's police commission meeting to understand more.Coverage levelsCouncil member Shelley Natali also spoke against the extension.“I don't think that's a good idea whatsoever,” Natali said. “I wasn't in agreement with the regionalization to start with.”She argued the department could be saving more money and that since regionalization, Evans City coverage has decreased, something both Smith and Chief Joe McCombs deny.“Living in town, and being active in town, it was easy to see when you didn't have coverage,” she said.McCombs paints a different picture of life before regionalization. It wasn't until the regional department formed that the department could provide the current 24/7 coverage.“Prior to that, they were cutting coverage and shifts where residents had absolutely zero coverage,” he said.Since then, McCombs said the department has expanded coverage, and while they have had a tough year with several officers on extended medical leave, the borough has been covered.“There really are no problems,” he said. “We've been a little short handed, but we've always had the service.”Fighting misinformationMcCombs also said he was concerned that many residents' views on the department are being influenced by posts on social media, many of which he said are inaccurate.“Unfortunately, in the world of social media, sometimes people misspeak or misquote,” he said. “You just can't win. Some people misunderstand what is going on and, unfortunately, there are things put out there where people read, and the large majority of time they're way off.”He encouraged anyone with questions or concerns to contact the department to find out what officials can do to help.Still, he said that few people have contacted the department or made formal complaints.“I do notice that people — when they have a problem — they say, 'Go to the public meetings,' and nobody shows up,” McCombs said. “They just talk on social media.”Zinkhann urged anyone with concerns or questions to come to police commission meetings; the next is scheduled Monday.“I don't know what you want. Speak up,” he said. “That's communication. That's the way to answer.”
