CENTER TWP — Township officials will meet with the Butler mayor to discuss the possibility of expanding the city’s police coverage to the township.

The township supervisors said Wednesday night that Mayor Tom Donaldson approached the township this week to pitch a regional police department.

“We’re just in the fact finding phase,” said Supervisor Ken Frenchak. “We don’t know what could happen down the road.”

The city has a paid police department of 23 officers.

Donaldson contacted four municipalities in October offering to rent police presence at anannual rate of $25,000 for 10 hours of weekly coverage.

Supervisor Chairman Ed Latuska said Donaldson mentioned that offer in his latest pitch, but added the mayor also expanded the scope of the proposal to a regional force.

Donaldson this morning said the new proposal is “completely different” from the past offer.

“This would be a totally different police department,” he said.

The township, which has about 8,000 residents, does not have its own police department, but rather depends solely on state police.

The supervisors appointed Frenchak and Supervisor Alan Smallwood to a committee to meet with the mayor to get more information on his ideas.

“We will then bring the information back and share it with our constituents,” Frenchak said. “The township as a whole will be involved in any decision.”

Donaldson previously talked with Center, Franklin and Summit townships, as well as East Butler, about renting police service for traffic enforcement.

Summit Township officials met with Donaldson but decided not to accept his offer.

Donaldson said he has not contacted any other municipalities about a regional police force, but said any others are welcome to join in the talks.

City council previously voted to authorize the mayor to speak with other municipalities about police coverage, but it has not signed off on any possible mergers or rental agreements.

Frenchak said nothing may come of the meetings with the mayor, but said the idea is worth exploring.

“Curiosity’s got the best of us,” he said.

Donaldson agreed the talks are in the very early stages, adding the municipal leaders will have to determine if the plan is feasible.

But the mayor said he thinks the idea could benefit both municipalities.

“There’s a lot of growth going on up there,” he said. “And they have a board of supervisors willing to look into this.”