Nesquehoning officials believe that keeping the polygraph test as a requirement for new police hires is the right move.

During borough council’s combined special meeting and committees workshop on Wednesday, council members Frank Jacobs, Rosemary Porembo, Mary Fox and President David Hawk, as well as Mayor Sam Kitchko continued the discussion on the requirement. Councilmen George Sabol and David DeMelfi were absent from the meeting.The borough opened the discussion last month when then Councilman Don DeMarco, who resigned his post on Wednesday, raised the question after state police removed the polygraph requirement from its process for applicants.He cited costs as one of the reasons for the question.Kitchko said he discussed the matter with police Chief Sean Smith and officer Timothy Wuttke.He agreed with police that the borough needs to continue to utilize the polygraph before hiring new police officers.“They seem to weed out some undesirables,” he said.Last year, the borough used the polygraph two times for potential new hires at a total cost of $850, and in 2015, three times, for a total cost of $1,200.RoniSue Ahner, borough secretary/treasurer, said that of those five, the polygraph results weeded out three people who were not a good fit for the job.Porembo said that it seems the expense of the polygraph is worth it overall if it cuts down on the potential problems the borough may face otherwise.Hawk agreed, saying that if the borough could either spend the $425 it costs for a polygraph or probably more money on training, uniforms and other necessities of new hires, only to find out down the road that the applicant isn’t a good fit for the department.