Lansford Borough Council began working on its budget for 2025 with new vehicles for police and public works topping the wish list items for the coming year.

Council’s discussion on new vehicles, however, started with the need for a truck or similar vehicle for its code enforcement officer.

Council Vice President Jay Doyle pointed out the high cost of trucks right now, even used trucks are holding their value.

Police Chief Kyle Woodward suggested the borough lease a vehicle for code for two years, as the police department needs to replace a vehicle this year.

Councilwoman Michele Bartek suggested giving code enforcement the police department’s truck, but Woodward said that the next vehicle due for replacement is a sport utility vehicle.

“It does have an engine light on, but it still runs,” Woodward said, suggesting that borough give code the SUV instead.

Code enforcement officer Shane Monk said the old police SUV would be ideal for him, and the borough could invest in a new police vehicle, as their officers are on the road more than he is.

Woodward pointed out that a new police vehicle would be around $52,000, and the borough would be looking at a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help fund the purchase.

Council President Bruce Markovich pointed out that the USDA public safety grant would fund half the cost, which means the borough would only be spending $26,000 on a new police vehicle.

Council had discussed spending about $30,000 on a truck for code enforcement, and Markovich said it’d be cheaper to spend the $26,000 on a new police vehicle and give code the retiring police vehicle.

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines also pointed out that they need to purchase cool weather clothing for the code officer, suggesting putting a clothing allowance into the budget, as well as funding additional training.

Under public works, Doyle pointed out that they have buy a new truck, as the existing red truck is at the end of its useful life. He suggested removing the dump and putting a utility body on the vehicle, as they could still use it to carry tools and parts.

Doyle said he’d need to check how much the borough spent on the last truck, but expected the cost went up. Markovich said they might be looking at spending around $100,000 or more.

The borough would be looking at pulling money from its state Liquid Fuels and its Sewage Transmission funds to fund the cost, and could also apply for another USDA grant.

Police

Under public safety, Bartek said she’d like to see the borough raise the part-time officer’s wages from $23 an hour to $28 an hour.

Other departments are paying more an hour for part-timers, Woodward said, and his part-time officers are seeking more hours elsewhere.

Bartek also wants to hire more full-time officers, bringing the full complement up to nine, but Markovich questioned how the borough was going to pay for nine officers.

Bartek pointed out that previous administrations took more than $120,000 out of the police budget, leaving it underfunded.

“Nine officers will cost you about $1.4 million,” Markovich said.

About $165,000 a year was shifted out of the police budget starting in 2020, Woodward said. He pointed out that if he took health care for this family at a cost of $33,000, they’d be over budget.

“We have no overtime. You don’t even have the money in your budget to hire another person,” he said, adding is the only reason they’re on budget now is because state police is covering shifts that aren’t staffed.

“I don’t go negative in my checkbook,” Woodward said. “If you look at the police department’s checkbook right now you’re set up for failure. You can’t hire nine people, because you don’t have it.”

He suggested bringing the total number of officers up to six, which would basically give them 24/7 coverage.

Council also discussed offering different health care plans for new officers, allowing them to choose coverage.

“The health care is killing us,” Bartek said.

Bartek also wanted to see funding for the renovations to the former Silberline office building as a police station.

“I would love to build a million dollar police department with all the bells and whistles,” Bartek said. “We don’t have that. God knows if we’re ever going to have that.”

She suggested that the borough start getting prices on the cost of renovations, or put items out for bid.

The borough is also looking at body cameras for officers.