Great Bend boro police car arrives

BY PAT FARNELLI

The new police car, purchased for the still pending Great Bend Borough police department, is now on site, but the borough is still tied up in red tape in its efforts to establish a borough police agency, council members said Thursday.

State Police headquarters listed nine criteria necessary for the local police agency to begin operations. One of them was a policies and procedures manual. The Lanesboro police department has provided a copy of their manual, which council member Ruth Loucks has been reviewing since the September meeting, and which solicitor Francis O’Connor has been asked to review.

Borough Secretary Sheila Guinan said that O’Connor has been in the process of reducing the manual in size, and wondered if he should continue.

Board members said “No,” and agreed that the manual would suit the purpose as is, with a few minor changes.

One difference is that the Great Bend police force will not have a chief, but rather an officer in charge.

Councilman Jerry MacConnell appeared to relish the job of picking up and delivering the police sedan from Port Dickinson, N.Y., to the township. As he got off the exit, drivers spotted the police vehicle and jammed on their brakes or quickly pulled off the road, he said.

“It’s a really nice car,” he concluded, and asked the council to send a letter to the seller acknowledging its condition “as is,” which they agreed to do.

MacConnell also asked for thank you letters to be sent to Congressman Chris Carney and his assistant Ed Zygmunt for helping get approval for a new access gate for the welcome center, which was damaged by the 2006 flood.

“They have been working on this for the past year, and we should send a letter of thanks, and ask if there is anything he can do to expedite installation,” he said.

Bids were opened for drainage work to eliminate the standing water on Washington St. A pre-bid meeting was held on Nov. 1.

The council approved the advertising of the 2011 budget, and said that a tax increase should not be necessary, as there are some surplus funds left over. There are still several projects in the works: a large construction project, a large road project, and the municipal building’s new roof.

However, the three projects should cost less than $30,000 together, and that will leave $15,000 to $16,000 in remaining funds.

The council discussed the borough Halloween trick or treating, and council member Patricia Thatcher said, “That was disastrous, as far as I’m concerned.”

Thatcher said that she had 340 trick or treaters by 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, and that she closed down her candy distribution at that time, because halloweeners were refusing to answer when she asked where they were from.

“I had kids from Appalachin, Owego, Windsor, Kirkwood, Conklin, Montrose, Hallstead and New Milford,” she said. “I only saw ten of my hometown kids.”

Another council member served candy to 613 costumed visitors by 8:15 p.m.

The borough roof material is in the process of being ordered, according to the agenda. The new shed, which council voted to purchase last month, turned out to cost more than the $3,000 the council had hoped to spend. The shed was tabled, but will be kept on the agenda. It will house borough equipment displaced from the garage by the police car.