Lehighton has declined a potential police service agreement with Weissport.

Lehighton Mayor Ryan Saunders, Lehighton Borough Police Chief Troy Abelovsky, and council members Joe Flickinger, Dave Arndt and Jordyn Miller previously met with Weissport Mayor Jodi Sonon and Weissport Borough Council President Arland Moyer Sr. to discuss a possible police service agreement.

Saunders said Lehighton came up with a memorandum of understanding in which they were going to offer two overtime shifts per week to their police officers, and the schedule of those shifts would be at the discretion of Weissport Borough. He added an MOU was drafted just to use as a guideline for discussion.

However, Saunders said at the council meeting Monday that they had not discussed or presented anything formally to Weissport, and that the Lehighton Borough Police Department is not in any position to assist anybody at this time.

Flickinger said he understood some council members feel Lehighton should be good neighbors, which he agrees.

But, he said it’s a case where Lehighton is always the one being the good neighbors “and all our neighbors like to take advantage of us.”

Flickinger added his biggest concern is the fact that Weissport already owes Lehighton $406,822 in debt for old sewer fees that dates back to the 1990s.

Chief’s view

Lehighton Borough Police Chief Troy Abelovsky said that after looking at what the police department’s call volume is currently and checking the numbers for calls generated by Weissport Borough over the last two years, it would result in about a 22% or 23% call volume increase to his department if it were to take over coverage of Weissport.

Flickinger made a motion to decline the request, noting that Lehighton Borough Police Department doesn’t have the staff based on a situation that occurred over the weekend where two police officers were injured.

Arndt then suggested tabling the matter.

Abelovsky said that it would be “too much of a hardship” on its police department.

Saunders noted that Weissport’s activity is increasing due to their lack of police coverage.

Background

In January, Weissport Borough Council President Arland Moyer Sr. reported that Saunders contacted him about Lehighton policing Weissport.

Weissport is once again without a police chief following the resignation in January of Matthew Wentz.

Saunders wanted to set up a meeting of officials from the two boroughs, including Saunders and Abelovsky from Lehighton, and Moyer, along with Sonon from Weissport.

Weissport Borough Council members approved of the meeting.

Also at January’s Weissport Borough Council meeting, Sonon reported that she received three applications for the position of police chief, while secretary/treasurer Cheryl Miller said that she had received one more.

The borough is hoping to move quickly to fill the part-time position.

Wentz accepted a full-time position with the West Mahanoy Township Police Department.

Debt owed

Immediately afterward, council’s discussion shifted to the topic of Weissport Borough’s delinquent utility invoices.

Flickinger reiterated from last month’s meeting that Weissport owes Lehighton $406,822 in debt for old sewer fees that dates back to the 1990s.

He suggested a meeting be set up with the Weissport Sewer Authority.

Flickinger stressed that Lehighton Borough Council has been talking for years about the debt the borough is owed from Weissport.

Borough solicitor Jim Nanovic said Lehighton Borough’s next step would be to get details and make a demand to have Weissport start paying Lehighton borough again.

DeWire told borough council he will check on whom he needs to speak with to obtain more information as to why delinquency payments were stopped prior to his appointment as borough manager in August 2023.

He said he would attempt to bring back some information for next month’s Lehighton Borough Council meeting.

At last month’s Lehighton Borough Council meeting, Flickinger said he was upset by a pitch by Saunders to possibly police Weissport.

Flickinger said at that meeting that he was disappointed to hear that Saunders reached out to the president of Weissport Borough Council, and believed that Saunders doing such was a case of him “overstepping his bounds.”

Instead, Flickinger said he believed it would be “prudent” of Miller, who is vice chair of police, fire, and safety, to attend the meeting with Weissport, and not Saunders.