Mahoning residents show support for police

Residents in Mahoning Township spoke out on behalf of their police department during Wednesday’s supervisor meeting.

Following a failed vote at the previous supervisor meeting to abolish the police department, resident Victor Leidy applauded the police.

“I think this police force does a fantastic job.”

Leidy told supervisors if they consider disbanding the department they would be “making a big mistake.”

Resident Deb McGowan echoed Leidy’s words. McGowan said she feels the state police would take too long to respond to calls in the township.

“You can’t do that,” McGowan told supervisors.

McGowan said, “Every person in this room has had an issue, and the police have been there. Our residents cannot and will not be put on that spot to wait two hours for a state police officer to show up.”

She continued, telling supervisors, “Let (Chief) Audie Mertz do his job. Get that 24-hour-a-day coverage back on the books and let’s get this department where it should be.”

Later in the meeting, McGowan informed supervisors of a hole in the ceiling of the police department and showed them a photograph she took before the meeting.

“It’s pretty sad. That’s what those boys and girls are working with upstairs, and you can see right outside,” she said.

McGowan said the ceiling is deteriorated, to which Supervisor Robert Slaw said, “This whole building is, ma’am. This is a disgrace. We have no money to do anything with though.”

Slaw voiced concern about raising taxes so high that people wouldn’t be able to afford the increase. “There’s not enough money in this township to do what we need to do,” Slaw said.

Supervisor John Wieczorek said no one brought the ceiling issue to the board’s attention but agreed to look at it after the meeting.

Also discussed at the meeting was a resolution in support of the way current earned income tax is collected, and in opposition to legislation mandating centralized services. After unanimously approving the motion, supervisors agreed to send copies to state Sen. John Yudichak and state Rep. Doyle Heffley.

In other business:

• Supervisors approved a cooperation agreement for the purchase of a street sweeper under a Council of Government grant.

• Approved purchasing one set of plow skids for the newest plow truck at a cost of $1.466.00.

• Approved spending approximately $2,000 to make necessary repairs to the 2011 Dodge truck.

• Agreed to add a sealant to the oil boiler system which is leaking. Quotes for possible repair of the system will be obtained.

• Agreed to have Palmerton Garage Doors service five overhead garage doors.

• Supervisors’ Chairman Franklin Ruch reported that 99 percent of the road paving projects in the township have been completed to date.