Hollidaysburg council aims to hire 9th officer
Borough also adopts stricter stormwater management policy
Trending
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Borough Council will begin the hiring process for a ninth police officer for the Hollidaysburg Police Department, a position that has been vacant since October 2021.
During his chief of police report at Thursday's meeting, Christopher Storm said that April 2023 had 371 calls for service compared to April 2022's 278 calls.
"I feel that it is extremely important to have two uniformed officers per shift to provide best police service to the community and to ensure the safety of our officers," Storm said. "With our current staffing, we do not have the ability to do that."
Storm said that from October 2022 through April 2023, there were 199 incidents when the 911 Center "had to dispatch outside police agencies to assist our officers due to being on single shifts" and more than 200 incidents in which Hollidaysburg police officers were dispatched to assist outside police agencies.
"Assistance from other police departments is greatly appreciated, but it takes additional time for them to respond," Storm said. "A tragedy can occur in minutes. After serving as chief for seven months, it is very clear to me that we need to get our staffing back to nine officers."
The council also adopted a stricter stormwater management ordinance that reduces the amount of land that can be developed before needing to meet stormwater regulations and includes optional provisions for riparian buffers.
"It's been to the (Hollidaysburg) Planning Commission twice and the (Blair) County Planning Commission has reviewed it," Hollidaysburg Director of Planning & Zoning/Code Enforcement Gerald Harbison said. "It's the state stormwater model ordinance that has been amended to include specific criteria relative to the borough's conditions and we included an optional provision for the riparian buffers."
Prior to voting on the stormwater ordinance, the borough held a public hearing on the matter.
Lifelong Gaysport resident Elda Boose said she supported the ordinance.
"It is absolutely imperative that the borough adopt the new (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) regulations and the additional provisions suggested by the borough engineer and approved by the planning commission," Boose said.
Steve Albright, who lives on Bedford Street, also supported adopting the ordinance.
"I hope you guys pass this to help the residents through the flooding," Albright said. "I am all for it."
All council members present voted in favor of adopting the ordinance. Council member Jeffrey Ketner was absent.
In other matters, the council accepted Harbison's resignation, effective May 13. The council appointed Patricia Duron, the borough secretary, assistant to the borough manager and open records officer, as the interim zoning officer, with an increase in pay of $500 a week.
Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.