Penndel Says ‘No Moving Forward’ With New Police Headquarters

Penndel Borough Council was expected by the mayor and the chief of police to approve construction costs regarding the empty building on their property Monday evening during a special meeting – instead the issue was tabled.

Penndel, which acquired the building as part of a Bucks County Redevelopment Authority (RDA) grant gifted by Hulmeville Borough in late March, planned to overhaul the building and modify it to become the Penndel Police Department. The department, which currently operates in a one-room section of the borough hall, has posed safety concerns for staff members for decades. According to Mayor Bob Winkler and Chief Joe Sciscio, things need to change – and fast.

The new building would provide separate rooms for prisoner detainees, employee lockers and evidence space. In their current situation, all of the police department materials are kept within inches of each other in a small, 14×20 space next to a public restroom.

“It’s just by pure dumb luck than nothing has ever happened,” Sciscio told LevittownNow.com last week. “It’s a very unsafe situation.”

READ: Penndel Police Work In A One Room Office

For council, at least members Gianpiero Lo Piccolo, Kali Sodano and Sean Weckerly – they felt rushed to approve plans. According to Lo Piccolo- his caution at approving the project Monday evening was in an effort to stop the spending madness that has become the culture of the borough.

While council has an estimated $6,700 left from the RDA grant, the project is estimated to cost over $15,000. According to the chief, he has found room for $5,000 to come out of the police budget, since a training for the department has fallen through. However, without definite quotes in writing on how much everything will cost – Councilwoman Sodano said she felt like she was signing a blank check.

“If the chief wants to drink champagne, we need to pick the grapes,” Lo Piccolo said. Lo Piccolo blamed Councilwoman Barb Heffelfinger for being the reason the borough is in such dire financial straits. “You just want to spend, spend, spend,” he said.

“We have had plenty of grants where we have not sat and nit-picked over every penny spent,” she said. In response Lo Piccolo noted that was why the borough had “nothing to show for any of it.”

While council members in opposition noted they asked for quotes on certain items needed for the project, the numbers weren’t received and it left them in a tough spot. “I can’t consciously approve anything,” Sodano said.

According to Lo Piccolo, because of the lack in quality materials used to build the second building, the lack of a surveillance system and it’s foundation being even with the road, he felt the officers were safer operating in the 14×20 room they have now. The current borough hall is made of brick, equipped with surveillance and sits above the roadway. Councilman Weckerly noted he could easily drive his Bronco into the empty building and end up in the chief’s office.

Residents echoed the feelings of Lo Piccolo, Sodano and Weckerly, noting the lack of definitive costs and the lack of certified architectural plans as a reason to slow the project down. According to council, the existing plans were drawn up by the chief himself. Council has until December 31, 2015 to spend the money left over from the RDA grant.

After the debates, the group decided to table the issue. President Arlene Harms said she would take in the suggestions of the residents and talk to the chief and have plans drawn up by an architect.