Residents still speaking up about police department operations
CALIFORNIA — Following the suspension of two borough police officers last month, the residents continue to stand their ground against the police department.
Last month the borough council suspended borough officers Terry Childs and Justin Schultz for 30 days without pay. Childs and Schultz were accused of leaving the borough while on duty to attend to an errand in Washington, leaving one officer to cover the entire borough.
Accused of using excessive force, the borough officers were under fire during recent council meetings, as many residents and students at California University of Pennsylvania spoke out against the department.
Jonathan McGee, who spoke at a previous council meeting, returned Thursday night with an eight-page petition, containing 1,000 signatures of those in the borough who disapprove of the police department. Prior to last month’s meeting, Solicitor Keith Melenyzer said the council had not yet seen it.
Because of an incident that transpired a year ago, McGee said he had to “redirect his life.” Several charges were unfairly filed against him at that time, he said, and eventually, he went to court over it.
“This was a year ago, and everyday I think about this,” McGee said. “This should not be overlooked.”
In other business, the council is moving forward with a new $4.8 million sewage treatment plant to be built on the border of Coal Center and California. Pending the solicitor’s approval, the general contractor, Mele & Mele & Sons Inc. of Eighty Four, will be awarded $4,397,084, while the electrical bid will be awarded to A-1 Electric Company of Venetia. The electrical bid was for $402,000.
Councilman Patsy Alfano said they were expecting bids to come in substantially higher.
“Luckily, there is a lot of people looking for work at this time, and it translated into a break on costs for us,” Alfano said.
Not only did the borough obtain over $5 million in grant money for the project, but it was also able to do some bond issue refinancing, which resulted in huge savings. From the refinancing, the borough saved over $900,000.
Expected to be built in the fall, the plant is a huge need for California, according to Alfano.
“We’ve expanded service to other areas, so this will give us the opportunity to serve more areas,” he said.
In additional matters, the council will participate with the Recreation Authority in contributing $1,000 to the borough’s Fourth of July fireworks on July 6.