Feb 13, 2014 By Erin Hayes for The 4 min read

PERRYOPOLIS — Borough council voted Wednesday to hire two police officers and give raises to three other employees in the police department.

Upon the recommendation of police Chief Roger Beadling, council unanimously approved hiring Rebekah Shrader and Frank Tempo as part-time police officers at a starting rate of $11 an hour.

While Sharder is not the first female officer the borough has employed, council commended the decision to hire a woman.

“It’s good to say we have a female officer” in Perryopolis, said Councilman Garrett Hoose.

Beadling said the presence of a female officer in the borough was “greatly needed.”

The need to hire additional part-time officers was addressed last month as a way of keeping the police department schedule filled.

Prior to Wednesday’s vote, the police department consisted of two full-time employees, including the police chief, and four part-time officers, who also work for other municipalities. Hiring one, possibly two additional part-time officers would help assure adequate staffing, council President Paul Black said.

Also, upon Beadling’s recommendation, council voted to grant Officer Christopher Fidazzo a pay increase of 50 cents an hour upon the successful completion of his six-month probationary employment period.

Council also approved new employment contracts with Beadling that includes a $1,160 increase in his annual salary, and with police Capt. Steve Kontaxes that awards an annual pay increase of $373.

In other business, council voted to lock in a proposal from West Penn Power to repair and repaint about 30 decorative but deteriorating fiberglass poles along Independence and Liberty streets at a cost of $115 a pole.

Council said that some of the poles are in “deplorable” condition, with four that are about ready to fall over.

Hoose recommended accepting the power company’s proposal with the stipulation that an inventory of the poles be conducted first to prioritize which poles are in most need of repair.

The decision to pay the power company to fix their own poles was based, in part, on a recommendation by borough solicitor Deana Fahringer to not use borough employees to repaint the poles. Fahringer cited insurance and liability concerns. The decision also was based on the cost of the paint used, which can run as much as $75 a gallon.

“The paint is a special paint. It’s a good offer when you factor in cost and labor. Thank you for that; that was something that really needed to be done,” Black told council members who voted unanimously to support the motion.

In another matter, council unanimously approved the creation of a webpage for the borough as proposed by council Vice President Frank Masney Jr.

“A lot of municipalities have a webpage, and it would be a good idea,” Black said. “Perry Township has a very good page.”

Masney offered to build and maintain the page, which would feature informational postings only, at a cost to the borough of less than $25 a year. Anything posted would require the council president’s prior approval, he said.

“Good luck, Frank; that’s an undertaking,” said Black.

In other business, council:

n Approved a template for a borough letterhead that reflects an updated listing of borough officials.

n Commended the road crew for keeping borough roads clear of snow. Councilman George Usher reported that the borough had received five additional truckloads of rock salt with which the borough will be able to keep up with ongoing winter road maintenance operations.

n Tabled a 2014 contract for two portable restrooms with hand-cleaning dispensers at $260 a month with a one-time cost of $80 for delivery, pickup and stocking the units. The portable restrooms had been requested for use at the Perryopolis Ball Fields for the Perry Area Baseball League season.

n Approved a motion to update a waiver of liability to reflect Black, as the new president, as being authorized to sign the document. The update was requested by the solicitor specifically releasing the borough of liability for Mike Yancosky, Joe Yancosky, Larry Bartholow and Ed Kuskie as they dig for bottles on borough property. The borough retains the right to inspect any findings from the dig, council said.

n Voted to not assume liability coverage for the Perryopolis Senior Center, which is now owned by the Perryopolis Heritage Society.