After seven months of trying to get the Old Lycoming Township Board of Supervisors to hold public meetings to have a discussion with the residents and taxpayers about the regionalization of the police department with TVRPD, they finally had the meeting Sept. 28 at the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Department social hall.

The hall was filled with people. People came to ask questions and give their views on regionalization. What the audience did not know was the fix was in, long before the meeting was ever scheduled.

The meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m.. Not a very convenient time for working people to get home from work have supper then go to a meeting. The meeting started at 6 p.m. and general business was conducted. Next on the agenda was police regionalization. There where nine people seated in front of the audience to speak about why Old Lycoming Township needed to regionalize with Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department (TVRPD).

There where four police officers from the two police departments, the chief of police from OLTPD/TVRPD, a board member from TVRPD Police Commission, Three Old Lycoming Township supervisors and a supervisor from Hepburn Township. These individuals all spoke for about an hour and half about how great regionalization was going to be for all concerned. That there was going to be a monetary savings to all the municipalities involved. Better service or at least the same service at the same price or possibly less tax dollars.

After the nine representatives where allowed to speak (without a time limit) it was time for public participation ( 3 minutes per person). Yes just 3 minutes per person.

Now, if you were in the audience you were there to get information and express your opinions. You probably think if there is enough people not in favor of the regionalization that the supervisor would possibly consider other alternatives that have been suggested over the past seven months. After all, the audience probably voted for two of the three supervisors ( one supervisor was appointed to fill a vacancy).

The first person takes the mic and reads a statement why the Township should not regionalize at this time, and to reconsider other alternatives. Almost to the end of the statement he was told his time was up and to sit down. Many people in the audience then stood and requested that they yield their 3 minutes to the speaker. This request was refused by Chairwoman Linda Mazzullo.

At past township meetings people where allowed to yield their time to a speaker if that person ran out of time. Why was Chairwoman Mazzullo trying to silence people who where questioning the regionalization process?

Person after person where cut off from asking their question. If a person was actually able to ask a question under three minutes they got no answer. This is not how government is supposed to operate. What was the rush to get the meeting over?

Then it came for the back of the hall. A booming voice that needed no microphone. A question — have you already decided to vote for regionalization tonight?

At first there was no answer. After prodding, they said yes. The question was then asked — why did you waste our time? No answer. Over half the audience left the meeting. The vote was taken on four regionalization issues, two yes votes one no vote on all four issues. Supervisor David Shirn voted no on all issues.

The Concerned Citizens group worked for seven months to get two of the Old Lycoming Township Supervisors to hold open and transparent meetings and to request a new state Department of Community and Economic Development Study to get updated information so both the board and residents could make an informed decision about regionalization that was BEST for Old Lycoming Township.

All of you who where at the meeting Wednesday, your eyes where opened on how the board of supervisors are running the township. Do not become complacent, you need to attend the township meetings. Next one is scheduled for Oct. 11 — be there, your voices matter.

Robert J Burns II is a retired sergeant with the Old Lycoming Township Police Department.