HARMONY — Borough council Tuesday night approved a new contract with the Zelienople Police Department that will provide police coverage for the borough for eight years.

Under the agreement, Harmony will pay $40,000 annually for police coverage with no increases in that fee. The new rate is a discount for Harmony, considering the borough this year was set to pay $50,000 for the same coverage.

Unlike prior contracts between the two municipalities, council President Jack Shanks said the new agreement allows either party to terminate the deal at any time.

Shanks said the contract also states that Zelienople police will have a cruiser in Harmony for at least eight hours a day while also providing for at least two hours of officer foot patrol every week.

If either of those stipulations aren’t met, Shanks said, Harmony could decide to withdraw from the contract.

Shanks said he’s happy with the new contract, adding it provides for police coverage for every event or special celebration in the borough throughout the year.

“This is a stable deal,” Shanks said. “There aren’t any increases in anything. It’s a very reasonable contract.”

Borough solicitor Matt Racunas agreed with Shanks and added that this contract is well below the norm for typical contracts he sees in other municipalities. He called the terms of the agreement “very favorable to Harmony.”

Before the meeting Tuesday night, Zelienople Police Chief Jim Miller said he thinks the agreement between the two boroughs for police coverage might be the oldest in the state, considering the original contract was signed 36 years ago.

The contract is effective immediately.

Before ratifying the contract, council welcomed three new members: Harold Herr, James Hulings and Phyllis Metz.

Also during the reorganization section of the meeting, Shanks was re-elected as president of council and Hulings was elected as vice president.