The West Penn Township Police Department is in the market for new firearms.

Township Supervisor Jim Akins noted that police Chief Jason Lorah and Sgt. John Kaczmarczyk asked whether the township would consider replacing the department’s firearms with 9 mm weapons.

“So they would be in compliance,” Akins explained.

Chairman Tony Prudenti asked if there was an estimate on the cost.

“No, we just talked about it tonight,” Akins said. “I just wanted to bring it up and put it on everybody’s radars and bring it up as new business.”

Lorah said he will bring cost estimates to the next supervisors meeting. In addition, he said he would check on the trade-in value for the current weapons.

The department will also be getting a new truck.

Supervisors approved the purchase of a cost not to exceed $65,000.

Lorah said the department would help outfit the truck when it’s received, which will save several thousand dollars.

The plan is to finance the truck and pay it off in 2027.

Supervisor Glenn Hummel abstained from the vote on the truck’s purchase. He said he would rather take the money out of the township’s reserve fund and then pay it back.

The vehicle will replace a 2019 that has a failed transmission and high mileage.

That vehicle is for sale on Municibid, with the current bid at around $7,500. The auction will end mid-March.

During the month of February, police patrolled 5,132 miles and issued 49 traffic citations and seven warnings. Officers had a total of 106 calls during the month.

In an unrelated matter, members of the township planning commission and its zoning hearing board will receive raises.

Prudenti said commission members had been receiving $25 per meeting since 2002, while zoners had been receiving $40 per meeting since 2019.

“These people have went with the same compensation for quite a few years,” Prudenti said.

Supervisors voted to increase planners’ pay to $50 per meeting, and zoners to $60 per meeting.

The fees are not paid by the township.

“It gets passed to the applicants,” Akins said.