Seven Fields has existed up to now without its own police department or a local fire station, and it might be able to do so for a few more years without major problems.

But the time is coming when it will be advisable for the borough to have both. To their credit, borough officials are embracing that reality, even though there is no urgency regarding the two issues.

Here's where the borough stands on the two services:

Regarding Seven Fields having its own police protection rather than purchasing such service from Cranberry Township, the council has reserved $300,000 in the 2009 budget for research and the possible start-up of a small local police force. And a small force could adequately patrol the compact municipality.

Judging from past reactions to the idea from neighboring municipalities, there appears to be no chance anytime soon for a southern Butler County regional police department that would include Seven Fields.

Meanwhile, on Jan. 12, the council heard a request from representatives of the Adams Area Fire District to consider a small building to house a fire truck. It is a logical proposal since the closest Adams District station to Seven Fields is six miles away — forever, during the busy rush hours on Route 228.

The fire district's contract with the borough expires at the end of this year; therefore, it's the right time to start looking toward the borough's longer-term needs.

Having a fire truck at virtually the borough's fingertips would be a great public safety asset.

With a local police department and the idea of a local fire station still in the talking stages, there is ample opportunity for borough residents to make their opinions known to elected borough officials and to Tom Smith, borough manager.

Residents should weigh their support or opposition to any tax increase necessary to support the two safety entities against the value of the benefits that the community would derive from their presence.

One consideration would be whether having a fire substation close by would result in lower homeowners insurance premiums.

Meanwhile, having a police officer patrolling borough streets during most or all hours of the day and night would be a deterrent to crime and traffic violations.

Like the fire service contract with the Adams Fire District, an extension to the police contract with Cranberry that was approved last year will expire at the end of this year.

However, although the end-of-the- year contract expiration is in effect, the borough must decide by June 30 whether it wants to negotiate a new, multiyear contract with Cranberry or explore other options, including creation of a local department.

Under its police agreement with Cranberry, Seven Fields pays 8 percent of Cranberry's police budget — an outlay of about $293,000 for the current year, which is about $100,000 more than Seven Fields paid in 2008.

Seven Fields has touted its ability to exist on what Smith has described as fiscally conservative budgets. The local police and fire substation proposals, while they might require bigger outlays for the borough, would seem to be manageable in terms of allowing that fiscally conservative approach to continue.

But 2009 is shaping up to be an important decision-making year for the borough and its approximately 3,000 property owners. To its good fortune, the borough has several options to achieve results with which it can live comfortably and within its financial means.

Borough officials must make the most of the next few months to try to achieve a strong consensus on both public-safety issues. Perhaps getting a committee of residents to participate actively in the discussions, and to serve as a liaison with other borough residents, would help in the community's understanding of all that's at stake, as well as help to avoid misunderstandings.