More Questions Related To Penndel’s New Police Headquarters Arise

On Monday evening, a small group of Penndel residents, along with a hand-selected batch of council members, met with the borough’s mayor and the chief of police, all to discuss and iron out details concerning the future developments of police headquarters. Yet they all left the meeting with even with more questions.

Despite his need to answer both residents and official’s questions, the architect on the project was a no-show to the meeting, leaving the entire project seem like it was hanging by a thread.

The council members in attendance Monday night were selected from a group of seven by current Council President Kali Sodano, in an effort to fill a specialized subcommittee to deal with police building issues. Sodano became president just a short time ago, when previous Council President Arlene Harms was ousted and blamed for numerous borough issues at a recent council meeting.

An unnamed source pointed out that Gian LoPiccolo and Sean Weckerly, also once president himself, have been against the police department plans since the beginning, yet they makeup the judgment of the subcommittee’s project alongside Sodano. Weckerly had a run-in with the police and the district attorney’s office himself when him and his wife, Anne, were accused by residents of poisoning the dogs of their rivals. The investigation never came to fruition and the rumors were never backed up with evidence presented publicly.

The development of an official police headquarters, separate from borough hall, has been a longstanding issue in the borough, an issue that came to a head back in March, when the borough authorized the purchase of a neighboring building, which was once home to a local and small vending machine company. The purchase was approved despite disagreements and heated debates on all sides.

The purchase mopped up all but $6,700 from a grant gifted to Penndel by its neighbor Humleville, which was awarded a redevelopment grant intended to help towns impacted by nearby Parx Casino.

Residents judged, even then, that a building that was supposed to improve the borough and the police department, would end up costing taxpayers much more than they could afford.

The borough currently operates inside a single, 14 by 20 foot room adjacent to a public bathroom, and just steps from where Monday night’s meeting was held.

“If we moved [to the new building], it would be a lot safer than what we have now,” Chief Joe Sciscio told LevittownNow.com during a tour of the current station back in April. “It’s just by pure dumb luck than nothing has ever happened. It’s a very unsafe situation.”

The borough, which has lost nearly 18 percent of it’s population since 2000, spends nearly 60 percent of it’s budget each year on the dealings of the police department. The agency operates with 10 part-time officers and a full-time chief. They provide 24/7 patrolling of .4 square miles, for the safety of nearly 2,400 residents.

The new building would provide 1,500 square feet that could be used for the police force.

Several months ago, council authorized for the mayor and the chief to take over the additional spending of the grant money that was leftover from the building’s purchase, which among other things, would accompany the building with a new HVAC system.

While some work on the building has begun, much of the materials and labor needed for the project will be donated, according to Mayor Bob Winkler, taking the estimated cost analysis down quite a bit.

While the chief estimated renovations could be done for under $15,000, the architect estimated that figure at well over $200,000.

“Of course no one wants anyone to get hurt, but I don’t think money is the bottom line,” he said back when the building was first purchased. “It’s a wise investment to spend money for the safety of everyone. We just hope council sees it the same way.”

Despite the frustration of driving in circles over the plans, Sciscio told the audience it is his job to improve the safety and functionality of the department.

While another meeting is expected to be held with the plan’s architect, Sodano remarked Monday night she hopes approvals can be made soon so that the borough has another shot at grant money for the project.

Resident Dave Cahill says the deal between the residents & council was that 0 purchases will be done w/out a grant.

— Amanda Kuehnle (@amandaMkuehnle) September 15, 2015