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On Sept. 28, 2022 the Old Lycoming Township supervisors held a township meeting at the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Department with standing room only. It was supposed to be the meeting where you could express your views, positive or negative on the regionalization of Old Lycoming Township Police Department. Many became so disgusted and left the meeting early when they found out that two of the Township Supervisors, had made their decision before the meeting started.
We know that during several Township meetings the Supervisors promised that no decision would be made on regionalization until the police officers bargaining unit had finalized an agreement with the Regional Police Commission and an actuarial study by the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System; had been completed, PROMISES NOT KEPT. We know that the police bargaining unit signed a three year contract with the Regional Police Commission dated January 1, 2023, three (3) months after the vote to regionalize.
Regarding the promises made about the regionalization process, it is crucial for the township leadership to uphold their commitments to transparency and accountability. The subsequent signing of the three-year contract by the police bargaining unit with the Regional Police Commission, despite the initial promises, suggests a shift in the decision-making process. This information highlights the importance of consistent communication and adherence to stated guidelines to maintain trust and transparency within the community.
We know that the Old Lycoming Township Police Department's PMRS Retirement system was sound and well funded. Old Lycoming Township still maintains a PMRS retirement plan for the non-uniform employees and the retired uniformed officers. We know that the PMRS actuarial study for the Lycoming Regional Police Department was completed February 3, 2023. What you don't know is the study indicated a $1,500,000.00 (1.5 million dollar) unfunded liability, Amortization of Unfunded Liability is $156,783.00; Total Employer Charges are $391,906.00 per year for 10 years. This is a cost that the Lycoming Regional Police Commission will be obligated to pay PMRS. Old Lycoming Township is responsible for 51% of this cost which is $199,872.00 per year for the next six (6) years (duration of the charter agreement) to the Lycoming Regional Police Department PRMS RETIREMENT PLAN.
The financial implications outlined in the PMRS actuarial study, including the unfunded liability and subsequent annual costs, certainly present a significant challenge for the Lycoming Regional Police Commission. It appears that the decisions made regarding regionalization might have overlooked these financial complexities, potentially leading to unanticipated expenses for the participating townships, including Old Lycoming Township. It might be essential for the stakeholders to reassess the financial viability and implications of the regionalization decision in light of this new information. The two previous supervisors had an obligation to provide a thorough and complete evaluation, and their lack of that and good critical management skills have left the residents with a financial burden.
This is an expense our township residents will now have to bare, that we would not have had too, if our previous two township supervisors would have done their homework before obligating our residents. It is funds that will have to be made up, by not being available for other needed projects.
At the July 2022 Old Lycoming Township Meeting the Chief Of Police stated that regionalization came with "deal breakers" these had to be the same level of service for less money or better level of service for the same money. What we don't know is what if any metrics are being used to measure the level of service provided to Old Lycoming Township, for the same or less money.
We also know Chief DeRemer assured Old Lycoming residents that a police officer would be in or near Old Lycoming Township. This past April there were several incidents that required the Lycoming Regional Police Department to investigate. Problem being that the responding officer requested mutual aid from other departments because of response time issues. Two of the response times were approximately 30 minutes. This is not better service at the less money, or same service at same money. This response time issue is not the fault of patrol officers. Limited man power, large patrol area and work scheduling can cause response time issues. Residents and Businesses in Old Lycoming Township by January of next year you may be getting less service at more money. If you are experiencing long wait times for police service you should contact the Lycoming Regional Police Commissioners or the Chief of Police.
It's evident that the situation within Old Lycoming Township has been marked by a series of unfulfilled promises and a lack of transparent communication, leading to considerable financial implications and potential challenges for the residents. The shift towards regionalization appears to have introduced unanticipated complexities, such as the financial burden outlined in the PMRS actuarial study and the reported issues with response times. This underlines the necessity for continuous assessment and transparent communication between the township leadership and the community to ensure the effective management of resources and the delivery of essential services.
Robert J Burns II is a retired sergeant with the former Old Lycoming Township Police Department. James H. Sortman and Tim Shumbat also consulted on this op-ed column.