Sharon officials decide not to offer police services to Farrell

Shortly after Sharon City Council recognized retiring police chief Mike Menster for his 24 years of service Thursday night, residents had a lot to say over sharing police services with Farrell.

"It's standing by itself. What does Sharon gain by making a proposal?" said Bob Hall.

"Go after these out of town landlords that are letting their houses demolish and other things that you can figure out, but don't cut our forces," Carol Swartz added.

Looming deficits within the next couple years are what prompted the idea. At this time, members of council voted to table the issue.

"Farrell is an Act 47 community. What happens in two years or next year if Act 47 cuts them? And if you merge over and hire 14 or 16 police officers, you turn around and cut them if Act 47 changes for them? I can't affect people's lives like that," said Tom Burke, Sharon councilman.

Sharon had until Monday to give its proposal to Farrell, which has been facing its own budget concerns and the question of whether to continue getting its police services from Southwest Regional.

"We do have on our agenda for Monday night to stay with Southwest for 2015. During the year 2015, we must as a community, come up with some sort of way to pay the policemen. The police have to do some cutting. We do know we have to do something," said Olive McKeithan, Farrell Mayor.

McKeithan said Wheatland and West Middlesex have agreed to stay with Southwest Regional and they are still waiting to hear from Shenango Township.

While officials in Farrell and Sharon think their budgets can survive through 2015, they know they will likely have to address the issue again in the next year.

"I feel like progress was made, but there's still going to be another meeting down the road about how these services get funded," said Scott Andrejchak, Sharon City Manager.