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Charleroi considers new home for police department

3 min read
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Charleroi Regional Police Department has outgrown it current home, which is in the bottom floor of the Charleroi Borough building, but a solution to the tight quarters may be on the horizon.

Charleroi Borough Council voted 6-1 Thursday night to proceed with talks with Washington County Redevelopment Authority to purchase a building at 538-540 McKean Ave. Councilman Jerry Jericho voted no on the motion because he has concerns the borough might be stuck with an empty building.

“We don’t know if the police department even wants this. Why can’t we use the money from the Redevelopment Authority and remodel what we have?” asked Jericho.

Charleroi Regional police Chief Eric Porter said the department has outgrown the space it is in, and security is an issue.

“We are not really secure here,” said Porter. “Anyone can come in or out of this building. If we had a separate building, it would be more secure, with only the police department coming in and out.”

Council President Paul Pivovarnik said no decision has been made, and council is only authorizing discussions to move forward with the Redevelopment Authority about the purchase of the building. He added the option to remodel is a consideration if there is money available from the redevelopment authority.

Councilman Larry Celaschi said the police department is interested, and Washington County commissioners are on board with the idea of the borough buying the building. Pivovarnik said if the building is purchased and the police department moves to that location, the borough would rent out the current space for offices.

In other business:

• Council learned representatives from Geokinetic of Houston, Texas, will be placing passive receivers in the borough to conduct geotesting. The devices will be collecting information about faults for gas drilling. Ginger McKay of Geokinetic said the receivers are about as big as a one-pound coffee can, and there are no wires connected to the temporary devices. They will be flush in the ground, and people can drive over them and cut grass over them. Installation will begin around the middle of June and be finished by mid-August. The borough will receive about $284 as compensation.

• Fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. reminded residents burning wood in an outdoor fire pit is permitted, but no burning of garbage or other debris is allowed in the borough. He added Pizza Night fundraisers begin Friday and will run into November.

• Council recessed the meeting until next month to approve a proposal for an asbestos survey for the third-floor restroom project in the borough building. The current floor has tiles with asbestos that need to be removed.

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