The South Central Counties Boroughs Association has drafted a resolution encouraging the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate to enact legislation which requires townships to reimburse boroughs when borough police provide services or respond to calls in surrounding townships.
SCCBA is a group comprised of officials from the boroughs of Tyrone, Bellwood, Huntingdon, Williamsburg, Hollidaysburg, Roaring Spring, Bedford, Everett, Woodbury, Duncansville and Rockhill.
A resolution was drafted as a follow-up to a SCCBA meeting which was held in Bellwood in January. A copy of the initial draft was sent to all the boroughs which were represented at the meeting.
The resolution states a significant number of townships in Pennsylvania do not operate police forces and rely solely on the Pennsylvania State Police for services.
The resolution went on to note in many parts of the Pennsylvania, patrols conducted by the state are limited due to various reasons and frequently borough police forces respond to calls in neighboring townships which lack law enforcement departments.
The resolution noted in some cases, the Pennsylvania State Police are unable to timely respond to such calls. It also stated many townships refuse to reimburse boroughs for police services .
The resolution noted boroughs incur additional costs when their police personnel respond to calls in a neighboring township.
The resolution states the SCCBA is asking the state association to advance the interests of boroughs before the legislature. The resolution asks the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs to ask legislators to enact an amendment to the First Class Township Code and the Second Class Township Code to require such townships to reimburse boroughs for any police services provided to First or Second Class townships.
Tyrone Borough’s interim manager Sharon Dannaway said a copy of the resolution and a letter from the SCCBA secretary were provided to council earlier this month for informational purposes.
Dannaway said council was not required to take action on the SCCBA resolution. She said borough officials support the resolution. SCCBA asked all the boroughs to address the issue during February municipal meetings and provide feedback to the association.
Attorney W. Lee Oswalt III of Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper & Oswalt helped draft the resolution. He advised an effort be made to have the resolution finalized and submitted no later than mid-March.
A deadline of April 15, 2005 is in place for submitting the resolution to the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs.
