Quarryville Borough Council on Oct. 4 unanimously passed two ordinances formalizing the Quarryville Police Department's coverage in Eden and East Drumore townships.
A week later, however, Eden Township supervisors postponed department coverage due to budgetary concerns. Eden citizens will continue to be covered by the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Quarryville department has policed the Village of the TownsEdge Shopping Center in East Drumore since June 2004, and the ordinance formalizes the arrangement. East Drumore will continue to pay Quarryville $15,000 annually to police the area, which includes the shops at TownsEdge, Fulton Bank and a Burger King.
The ordinance governing the department's work in Eden would have allowed for up to 20hours of police coverage weekly at a cost of 130 percent of the officer's salary. According to the Intelligencer Journal, Eden supervisors felt fines collected by police would not have covered the $1,000 to $1,200 monthly cost.
The Quarryville Police Department now covers three southern-end municipalities with four full-time and three part-time officers. It's 2010 budget is $308,000.
In other business, Quarryville Library Director Fran Vita thanked the borough for its annual donation in the midst of state funding cuts.
"Our funding is in a free-fall," Vita said. "Your appropriation has been a life saver for us."
Vita said the library experienced a 37 percent cut in state funding for 2010 and anticipates losing an additional $7,000 in state revenue for 2011. Library use, however, continues to stay strong, with more than 19,000 patrons and more than 214,000 books and other items in circulation per year.
"I want to remind everyone how important it is that we serve our community," Vita said. "Every day people are in the library getting tutored, on the computer and looking for jobs."
Council members also said they will examine an Act 537 sewage facilities plan update being recommended by the Borough Authority. Council approved 36 sewer service agreements for phase one of the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, and one for 426 Fritz Ave.
Mike Sullenberger, of the streets committee, said he has gotten an estimate of $712,000 for a Fourth Street improvement project. He said it would cost more if the borough opts to do curb and water line work.
Sullenberger said council should discuss the issue in future budget meetings, and decide if it wants to do one or two streets and put the project out to bid.
The first budget meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the borough offices, 300 Saint Catherine St.
Council also set trick-or-treat night for 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29.
-30-