Quarryville Borough residents told borough council Sept. 7 they are concerned about their families and neighbors following three recent robberies in the borough, including one on East State Street during which a gun was accidentally discharged by the escaping robber.
“I could have been shot,” said 24 E. State St. resident Mike Melma, who went outside after he heard what he described as an “explosion.”
“Are we doing anything to have 24-hour police protection in the borough?” asked Melma.
Jennie Miller of 16 E. State St. said she was also concerned.
“Is this part of a group?” asked Miller.
“Police coverage is something we don’t discuss in public,” said council president Robert Landis, Jr.
Police Chief Ken Work took the residents outside of the meeting to discuss the robberies, which are under investigation.
Mayor Joy Kemper told a reporter following the meeting that borough citizens do have 24-hour police coverage and that if a borough officer is not on duty, and a citizen calls 911, the state police will quickly respond. Kemper said there are only a few hours a week the borough is not covered by its own department.
“You can have 24-hour coverage and it won’t top something like this (a robbery) happening,” said Kemper, chairman of the police committee.
“This is not a policing issue where we need more coverage,” Kemper said. “We’re talking about ways we can get this under control,” she said, referring to the robberies.
Kemper said increasing coverage would be a budgetary issue, and said she would like to remind residents a decade ago the borough was only covered by the state police.
Currently, the Quarryville Police Department, under Work’s leadership, covers four southern end municipalities within a $308,000 budget. The department has four full-time and three part-time officers.
In other police business, Work said the department had responded to 357 incidents during August, including five thefts, six warrants, seven domestic disturbances, three retail theft arrests, and a disorderly conduct arrest. He said all borough employees and council members who may be called in an emergency must attend NIMS compliance training in September.
Borough Manager Al Drayovitch said the Borough Authority is currently updating its Act 537 plan, and will soon have a document for public inspection. He anticipates presenting the new plan to council for a vote in December.
Council member John Wheatley expressed concern about three feet of water which can, he said, lay for three days around an infiltration ditch in the Quarry Ridge development. Council members said last month even though the ditch was in the master plan, they would take no action if the developer regraded the problem, which affects three properties.
Landis said if standing water does become a problem, property owners will be held responsible to prevent mosquito populations and West Nile virus. Drayovitch said he would contact the developer to ask when he plans to fix the problem.
Council and streets committee member Mike Sullenberger said he wants to keep the borough focused on making plans for a Summit Avenue improvement project next year. Landis said the project could cost the borough about $1 million, including water line replacement, storm sewer and curb work. He said the borough will make plans to help residents with financing curb and sidewalk work.
Council also acknowledged a letter from the Huffnagle Park Civic Association thanking the borough for park improvements. The association singled out Bill Lamparter, borough services manager and 20-year borough employee, for his work and problem solving.
Finally, council appointed Brett Curtis and Marc Hargraves as alternate zoning hearing board members through Dec. 31; approved a $310,637 escrow reduction for the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, which now has $3 million in escrow; and approved the first Saturday in June of 2013 to host the Lancaster County Firemen’s Association Convention and Parade.
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