Latest Attempt to Add Part-Time Police in Ford City Fails

by Jonathan Weaver

Action items to add part-time police officers in Ford City Borough were not endorsed by any of the six council members last night, and failed.

Borough Manager Eden Ratliff identified Council President Kathy Bartuccio as the person that asked him to add that item to the monthly regular meeting agenda. Bartuccio also did not vote for the motion.

Bartuccio explained.

“Officer (Sergeant) Atherton asked me if I would put that on, and I said I would,” Bartuccio said. “I can’t make a first or second (during a motion), but I would have hired part-time police officers. I was a little concerned because it didn’t say how many.”

Bartuccio has further questions for Sgt. Atherton about the scheduling so far.

Councilman Josh Abernathy abstained from the final vote, but was concerned with how the budget could have changed municipal operations.

“What are we going to cut? We already laid someone off in the Street Department,” Abernathy said. “We’re not getting the stuff done now.”

The failed motions would have allowed for council members to reallocated monies to the Public Safety fund so that Ford City Police can fill vacant part-time shifts and to hire part-time police officers to fill currently vacant shifts if necessary.

In the 2015 budget, council members slashed the public safety budget and police salaries to about $160,000. Borough Solicitor Anthony Vigilante explained that money can be reallocated throughout a calendar year via a process called supplemental appropriations.

Council Vice-President Jerry Miklos confirmed that Pennsylvania State Police troopers have patrolled the municipality the past few weeks at night.

“At this time, the Ford City Police Department has transitioned to operate within the allocated monies,” Ratliff also stated. “I haven’t heard any complaints from any of the citizens of Ford City about the police department.”
In his closing comments, Miklos did encourage his fellow council members to attend next week’s Armstrong County Association of Boroughs meeting in Freeport to listen to a Pennsylvania State Police trooper speak to officials about how to cooperate effectively. However, that meeting has been reportedly cancelled.

Council members will also advertise for bids for an unmarked police cruiser.

Miklos – a member of the Council Police Committee – has been soliciting bids for a police car, but so far has not received a price for a new vehicle at dealerships that would allow for an outright purchase.

“I have not been able to get a bid at $ (19,400) –which is the threshold that allows us to purchase without putting it out (for bid),” Miklos said. “If it’s that amount or less, you just have to solicit three bids, but if it’s more, we have to advertise for bids and then take the lowest bid.”

“We want to get the best bang for our buck,” Councilwoman Vickie Schaub – also a member of the Police Committee – added.

Bids must be received by January 30, and will be opened at noon February 2.

More than 1,120 miles were driven by officers during the month of December, not including mileage on the 2009 unmarked police cruiser due to a broken odometer light.

“Internal control” changes to help employees be more organized were also made to the municipality’s complaint form – a method borough residents can use to register complaints regarding either fire department, street department, borough office or police department officials.

Police or Borough Council officials are directed to respond in writing or email to the complaint within 30 days.

There are about eight pending complaints awaiting response from Mayor Marc Mantini – which he hoped to resolve later today.

“We’re always waiting – how long do we wait,” Miklos said. “Nothing is happening!”

No complaints were yet filed in January. Original complaints will all be read by Ratliff, copied and then submitted to the appropriate department.

The Borough office was closed January 9, Ratliff said, so that secretaries could send out accurate information for business licenses.

“Periodically, these things might happen. In a day of working on nothing else but that, this might help us get up-to-speed – which eliminates overtime, improves efficiency and the general function of the town,” Ratliff said. “I appreciate everyone’s understanding with that.”

Landlord and business licenses are due by January 31. At the direction of Miklos and Schaub, Ratliff will be working on a document of all delinquents from the last four years for February.

An executive session was held following the meeting to discuss personnel and litigation matters.