Lansford Borough Council on Wednesday took the first step in hiring a new police chief, contracting with the state Chiefs of Police Association for assistance with the search.

The association will advertise, interview and rank candidates for the borough. The cost is $5,000.

The move was not unanimous.

One of the dissenters on the 4-3 split vote was Councilwoman Jennifer Staines, who started an online petition on change.org to hire the borough’s officer-in-charge, Sgt. Shawn Nunemacher, as the next chief.

Staines also attempted last month to bring a motion to hire Nunemacher as police chief, but no one would second her motion to move off the agenda.

Council President Bruce Markovich did not know how long the chief search would take, but believed that would depend on the number of applicants.

The borough has been without a police chief for more than a year.

Council did hire Robert Hudson as a part-time police officer. Council Vice President John Turcmanovich said Hudson is a retired state trooper, who still wants to work part-time, and passed a background check.

Council did not specify the rate of pay when approving the hire. After the meeting, Turcmanovich said the salary range is $21 to $23 an hour.

The subject of hiring more police came up during Mayor Hugh Vrablic’s report to council, in which he noted five quality of life tickets, in addition to 299 calls for police for the month.

Resident Joe Gentis asked how many of the quality of life tickets were resolved, and Vrablic said he wasn’t going to discuss it.

Councilman Jay Doyle also questioned the number of quality of life tickets issued, running down the list he was provided.

“You said five. Well, I’m going to read it,” Doyle said. “Quality of life complaint, one. Quality of life report citation, one; quality of life payment, one.”

“So, you’re saying in 29 days, whether it be one or five, it’s all we done in a month?” he asked Vrablic. “He’s asking a question, too, but every time we ask you something, you’re not talking. Every meeting, you’re not talking. That’s enough of that. You should be talking.”

Vrablic told council to hire more police - repeatedly. “I can’t answer it, because we don’t have enough cops out there,” he said. “Hire more police.”

Doyle questioned how often he met with police, and Vrablic said he met with them once or twice, but he is on the phone with them constantly.

Doyle then told him to do his job. Vrablic got up, bid everyone, “Good night,” and told council again, as he was walking out, “Hire more police!”

Council moved on with the meeting without further discussion.

Last month, council hired Constable Edward Evans to post water shut-off notices, and considered hiring him for additional enforcement work, such as quality of life issues.

The borough police’s collective bargaining unit, however, requested that council bargain on hiring a constable to enforce borough ordinances, as it takes work away from a police officer.

The borough has taken no action to hire Evans for quality of life issues.