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While supervisors are not at the point where they could say they favor or oppose the concept, Supervisor Charlie Tupper said, "It doesn't hurt to talk."
Township manager Nick Viscome said Mount Joy Borough council member Bill Hall sent a letter to neighboring municipalities asking them to engage in discussions.
Hall said Mount Joy has a lack of space for its police department and suggested other municipalities might have the same needs.
When Mount Joy officials met June 3 and discussed the idea of a regional force, they compared the force of 13 officers serving the borough to the pool of 60 officers serving seven municipalities in the area.
The proposed discussions would cover Conoy, East Donegal, Mount Joy and West Donegal townships and Elizabethtown, Marietta and Mount Joy boroughs.
All of the townships and Marietta Borough are served by two regional police departments. Susquehanna Regional Police Department covers East Donegal and Conoy townships and Marietta Borough, and the Northwest Lancaster County Regional Police Department covers Mount Joy and West Donegal townships.
Supervisor Clair Hilsher said he felt the request for discussion should come from the Northwest Regional Police Department.
Tupper responded he believed Mount Joy was asking for a discussion at the municipal level."I feel our police department is working together now," Hilsher said.
"I'm not sure I don't agree," Tupper said, "but it doesn't hurt to talk. Maybe even if it just comes down to purchasing."
Viscome said the letter did not specify police services; instead it discussed space issues.
Supervisors agreed by a 4-1 vote to join in the discussions, with Hilsher casting the dissenting vote.
In another matter, the supervisors will discuss the open space portion of the Stoneybrook plan during the workshop meeting slated for 7 p.m. Monday in the township municipal building, 1 Municipal Drive.
Township resident Marie Martin chided the supervisors, with the exception of Roger Snyder, for apparently planning not to include a public park in the development.
Martin said most residents surrounding the development on West Ridge Road were opposed to it, but were more accepting after a concession was made to have a public park.
The park and an associated pond area reportedly were agreed to during a conditional-use hearing more than a year ago. Apparently, liability concerns with the pond have prompted supervisors to reconsider, but Tupper said the issue is not closed.
(39) (34) (11) (5) (5) (4) (4) (2)Nancy Garber, chairman of the board of supervisors, said she needed more specific information, including copies of the conditional-use plan, and proposed the issue be discussed at the workshop meeting.
