Saturday, January 03, 2004

By Bill Bergstrom, The Associated Press

Badgered by creditors seeking payment for everything from truck tires to blacktop, and still struggling to pay debts incurred after devastating floods in 1996, a northeastern Pennsylvania township will lay off its two full-time and five part-time police officers on Jan. 16.

Plymouth, five miles west of Wilkes-Barre, has less than $50,000 in annual property tax revenues but is about $830,000 in debt, Ed Brennan, chairman of the township's board of supervisors, said Friday.

Much of the debt remains from road, sewer and other repairs following the January 1996 floods that caused $1 billion in damage in Pennsylvania.

Brennan said the township of about 2,000 had spent about $1 million on repairs -- costs that haven't been fully reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- and the debt had mounted as spending outpaced revenue in other areas as well. A tax increase was imposed to pay off about $450,000 of the debt, but the phone rings daily with unpaid vendors demanding payment.

The township has unpaid bills for everything from truck parts, oil and grease to uniforms, tires and blacktop.

Police Chief Robert M. Lehman issued a statement saying he was "saddened" by the layoffs decided on in a special board session on New Year's Eve as the Jan. 1 deadline for passing a budget approached, and was hopeful of a solution to the budget crunch.

"I drink coffee with him every morning. It's a tough situation because we're all together," Brennan said. "We didn't want to do this. We have children. Who wants to go home and tell their family, 'Well, we have no police.' "

Other Pennsylvania communities have laid off police officers to deal with budget shortfalls. In June, Hanover in Beaver County laid off its two officers. In July, North Charleroi laid off its three officers, and last month, California furloughed its police force for a month.

Most of the townships and small towns -- including Plymouth -- are using state police to provide coverage.

State Department of Community Economic Development consultant Jim Phillips, who has been helping township officials unsnarl budget problems, said police services were the only area that could be cut where another agency could partly fill the need.

Whereas state police already provide part of the police protection in Plymouth, no one else is available to provide other services, such as snow removal or trash pickup, Phillips said.

Conrad and Brennan said the township was seeking to be labeled a "distressed community" by the state, which would enable it to get more consulting help and low or no interest loans.

"I strongly believe this is a temporary move. I hope and pray it is, for all the residents, including myself," Conrad said.

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