Cecil creates Director of Public Safety position
The Cecil Township Board of Supervisors has named police Chief Shawn F. Bukovinsky as the inaugural Director of Public Safety for the township, positioning him to further develop inter-departmental preparedness in case of emergency.
The new role will give the township greater ability to coordinate specific disaster-response efforts and training across the police and fire departments.
Bukovinsky said the need for the position became clear after four flash floods struck Washington County in August and September, leaving large swaths of the region inundated.
The new position does not include any listed benefits or salary at present, with Bukovinsky set to continue under his current compensation package through his role as police chief until his retirement in 16 months, when he will transition to full-time work as director of public safety.
Supervisor Cindy Fisher said the board could reexamine the compensation structure for the public safety role once Bukovinsky departs the police department in early 2028.
Bukovinsky has served the Cecil Township Police Department for more than 31 years, with the last 13 as police chief.
According to Bukovinsky, this new role will allow him to “work together a lot closer” with current Emergency Management Coordinator Ted Wolford, with Wolford retaining final decision-making ability during emergency situations.
The board also awarded a $24,389.35 contract to Washington-based Rhodes Carpet and Installation for new flooring for the Generations Room, which houses the Cecil-McDonald Senior Center and a range of county programming.
The board tabled a bid award motion during its September meeting after the only submission came in over budget and with limited scope.
The township has been working toward a comprehensive renovation project for the much-loved space using $71,500 in state grant funding that was awarded in August 2026.
According to Fisher, the previous bid did not cover enough of the desired project, so the board rescoped the bid request and reopened it for new submissions.
The room will remain closed throughout October and reopen in early November once work is complete, she said. All programming will temporarily be relocated to the Cecil Township Fire Department Social Hall at 3351 Millers Run Road.