HONESDALE, PA — Despite its brevity, the September 19 meeting of the Honesdale Borough Council managed in less than 50 minutes to convey in vivid detail the complexity of an ongoing borough police officer shortage and its implications for Honesdale.

First to speak on the topic was Michele Minor Wolf, executive director of Victims Intervention Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual abuse and assault, and other violent crimes, including homicide. Noting that her organization served just under 1,000 victims last year, Wolf said that continued operation of its emergency shelter depended on 24/7 borough police coverage and that anything less would jeopardize the safety of all involved.

Referencing the recent need to abolish some second and third borough police shifts, Wolf added that the growing epidemic of heroin use and rising violent crime rates demanded more police officers at all hours, not fewer.

That opinion was echoed by Debra Mangan, a Fair Avenue resident of county-owned housing, who said a five-minute response time of borough police was preferable to a one-hour wait for state police, in the absence of borough officers.

Delivering a petition for restoration of round-the-clock borough policing from rehabilitation facility residents, Mary Handler said that population, along with the elderly, chronically ill and disabled, feels more helpless, vulnerable and fearful than the able-bodied.

Borough Council President Mike Augello said in reply to this citizen input, “We are as concerned about limited police coverage as you, and it’s not due simply to budget considerations. We’ve been unable to attract new officers, but not for lack of trying.” College recruiting has been paramount, with Lackawanna College’s police training program a prime source.

Safety committee member Bill Canfield said even an $18.50 per hour starting salary (the highest police starting salary offered in a 50-mile radius) combined with generous benefits was not inducement enough to entice new officers to Honesdale. He noted that regional policing had been explored as a realistic alternative to borough policing that routinely extends outside borough borders into neighboring Texas Township and Bethany borough, neither of which contributes toward the additional cost incurred by Honesdale. But those municipalities are not in favor of it.

Per Canfield, the council even flirted with the idea of abolishing the borough police department as a means of forcing neighboring municipalities into a regional policing agreement. It was ultimately rejected, but the council remains open to brainstorming ideas. In fact, it invites them. Augello asked that ideas be submitted via the borough website: www.honesdaleborough.com.

In other business, Augello introduced a motion to hire James Syre as new borough treasurer, at a starting salary of $16.35 per hour. The council voted in favor, the single opposition vote cast by Canfield, who said his vote was not intended to be a reflection of the candidate’s qualifications or merit. Along with Vice President Bob Jennings, Canfield had last month expressed deep regret and a reluctance to accept the sudden resignation of treasurer Karen Breidenstein.

Augello also revealed that several executive sessions held over the course of the last two weeks have concerned personnel and police staffing issues, the longstanding Keith Colombo litigation among them. That litigation ended in arbitration, results presented to the council this week. Before making them public next week, the council will review them with borough solicitor Richard Henry.