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COG gets positive feedback on intermunicipal agreements by Holly Matthews [email protected] Representatives to the Oil Creek Area Council of Governments meeting in Titusville Wednesday evening said they have had positive feedback from residents concerning a presentation given last month by Titusville Police Chief Don Owens. Owens had discussed the methamphetamine problem in Titusville and surrounding areas and suggested the possibility of intermunicipal agreements authorizing the department to carry out specific drug-related investigations within their borders. The proposed agreement would not involve any regular patrols in the municipalities, COG members stressed. Owens has said that labs seized where the PSP Clandestine Lab Response Team was activated rose from two in Crawford County in 2001 to 65 in 2004. Titusville Police Department has five officers who serve on the Pennsylvania Attorney General�s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation Drug Task Force, which covers five counties in Northwest Pennsylvania. Karen Rios, COG representative and Allegheny Township, Venango County, supervisor, said people who attended the township�s most recent meeting were receptive to the idea of an intermunicipal agreement and were aware of meth problems within the township. Rios said the township solicitor was contacted and he said an agreement such as Owens discussed would fall under Act 180 and would require adoption of an ordinance to incorporate it into law. Rios said it was recommended that any agreement stipulate the township could not be held responsible for costs or liabilities related to a police operation by the department in the township. Titusville Councilman Robert Mayer said Owens had said he would try to find a copy of a sample agreement from which any interested municipality within the COG could work. Rios was asked to contact Owens to see if a sample agreement can be provided for the April meeting of COG. Oil Creek Township Supervisor Robert Morris said the drug problem is all around, and Scott Barker of Hydetown Borough Council said he is proud of what the Titusville Police Department has been able to accomplish in its battle against meth. Rios added that though the municipalities do not have the money to help support the department�s investigations, they could consider donations. Also Wednesday, the supervisors discussed a joint bidding summary. Each municipality wanting to bid through the COG will be sent a revised spread sheet to make sure their bid items are correct. Cherrytree Secretary-Treasurer Jan Kilner will work on preparing the bid documents. Each municipality participating will be asked to provide COG with written permission to advertise. It is expected that bids will be opened in May. COG had received a request from Rome Township for bids to be opened by April 11, but the membership concluded that there would not be enough time to meet that date considering the amount of bidding which will be done jointly. They said they will try to begin work on the bid process earlier for next year. Also discussed was the COG�s use by the member municipalities of Titusville�s Board of Code Appeals for any appeals received under the new statewide building code. Mayer was asked to learn if the name of the board could be changed to reflect the COG and if the COG would become responsible for the board. It was agreed to write a letter inviting a representative of the Crawford County Board of Commissioners to attend the May meeting. Chairman Jeff Langworthy, Cherrytree Township, Venango County, supervisor, said he believes it is important to know what�s going on at the county level in both Venango and Crawford counties. Add a comment |
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