Pool cameras, police part-timers debated at Frackville council
FRACKVILLE – Security cameras will soon be installed at the Frackville Pool, and the police force has two new part-time employees, but both moves were debated at Thursday’s council meeting.
Mayor Kim Phillips asked council to approve the use of $1,895 from the pool fund for a security system by DM2 Security.
When Council President Ron Jordan asked for a motion, council stayed silent and the matter nearly died.
“This is really sad because this is money that the pool committee raised,” Phillips said. “They provide all the uniforms and the benches and different things. They do fundraisers all year long to improve the pool. This would be an improvement to the pool and the security of the pool, and the cameras do go towards different parts of the park.”
Councilman Ed Beneshunas raised the motion after a few more moments, seconded by Jordan.
Councilman Stephen Tertel questioned whether the matter should go out for bids. The threshold for requiring bidding is near $22,000, Mark Semanchik, borough solicitor, explained.
Phillips explained that the cost includes upgrading and repairing infrastructure necessary.
Councilman Charles Berger said he didn’t understand the scope of the project.
“The scope of the project is to replace the [cameras] that were put in a couple years ago that no longer work to make sure we have security,” Jordan explained.
Council voted 5-0 to approve the expense.
Regarding the police department, motions were raised to hire Daniel Bound as a part-time administrative assistant at a rate of $15/hr.
Phillips explained in the first public comment portion that Bound does not yet have his MPOETC card.
“Because he doesn’t have one, we can’t officially have him do [police work] until that card comes available,” Phillips said. “He will be in, he will be getting trained on different procedures and different things that we can allow him to do, so it bridges him so we snag a good police officer before someone else swoops him up and it allows us to do some training.”
Phillips said Bound graduated from the police academy in May.
Beneshunas raised the motion to hire, which was seconded by Jordan after several moments of silence.
Councilman Brian Russell raised concerns that he had not seen any applications for any police positions and suggested hires be postponed more time and consideration could be taken regarding the applications. Russell is chairman of the personnel committee.
Tertel questioned why part-time officers weren’t being scheduled as is. Beneshunas said he’d seen a part-timer on patrol twice this week, though Tertel said he hadn’t seen any.
“My question is what does using part-timers have to do with hiring somebody,” Jordan questioned. “The mayor explained, at least through the people out here, why we’re going this route of administrative assistant and then to hire him full-time.”
“When you have four full-timers plus how many part-timers already,” Tertel said.
“You could hire 50 part-timers, 60, 70,” Jordan said. “It depends on how many hours you need.”
“It has nothing to do with the motion, that’s my point,” Jordan added.
Berger also raised concerns over the hiring process. Jordan said the matter was discussed at a workshop, which Berger said he was absent from because of a family medical emergency.
“We’ve already talked about this stuff already, that’s why it’s on the agenda,” Jordan said. “People are sitting here stone-faced because either there’s something going on outside of here, behind closed doors, whatever you want to call it. But I’m just tired of it. This is aggravating me.”
Council voted 3-2 to approve the hire. Jordan, Beneshunas, and Berger voted yes, while Russell and Tertel voted no. Councilmen Steve Kuzio and Russell Cunningham were absent.
Beneshunas then raised a motion to hire Cody Searfoss as a part-time patrolman pending a background check.
Council voted 4-1 to hire him, with Russell casting the lone dissenting vote.
In other business, council approved:
- the sale of a 2019 Ford Police Interceptor Utility to the Goodwill Hose Co. for $1. Councilman Berger abstained;
- the purchase of the GOVPILOT program at a cost of $10,000 under the police grant;
- various repairs to the streets department bucket truck;
- repainting a tennis court at Memorial Park to be used as a pickleball court.
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