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Councilwoman Susan Watson said at a Sept. 28 workshop meeting that the cost of the new five-year police contract, which is up for renewal, came as a shock to the borough.
Under the proposed contract, police services provided by Manor Township would increase more than 50 percent because of increasing operational expenses.
Watson said Manor officials felt a more equitable agreement was needed and that beginning next year the township would begin charging an equal per capita rate of $107 for township and borough residents.
Currently, Manor Township charges Mountville Borough about $63 per resident for police protection. Manor Township residents pay approximately $108 per person.
With a population of 2,472 residents, Mountville pays close to $156,000 a year in police services.
The increase, about 58 percent, would add approximately $109,000 to the borough's expenditures for police services.
"This proposal by (Manor) police is unacceptable," council member Harry Morgan said.
Watson said if the borough accepts Manor Township's new contract with the increases, a tax increase would be unavoidable. The new contract also would come with an annual 5 percent increase.
Watson said a 0.7 mill tax increase would be needed to cover the cost increase in police protection, but only until 2011.
"This new contract is for five years," she said.
Watson said she wasn't sure how the township would budget for the other three years and the subsequent annual increases.
Watson and other council members agreed that a single large tax increase would not be popular with taxpayers.
Watson said a 0.4 mill tax increase for 2010 and a 0.3 mill increase for 2011 could be an option.
Each 0.1 mill generates approximately $14,000 in tax revenue and equals an additional $25 per taxpayer.
Watson said the initial jump in police costs for 2010 could be offset with budget cuts and zero increases in certain spending, but these cuts figured into a preliminary 2010 budget would still leave a funding gap of approximately $70,000.
Under the tax increase proposal Watson suggested, a 0.4 mill tax increase would narrow the gap.
Watson said a 0.5 mill increase for 2010 would be needed to close the gap.
She said two other options remain open to the borough.
Council president Paul Chin said he has met with police representatives from West Hempfield Township to see if they could patrol the borough.
Chin said West Hempfield police Chief Mark Pugliese was putting a proposal together for 24/7 police protection in the borough.
He said the proposal would have to be approved by West Hempfield supervisors before an offer is made to the borough.
Watson said another option would be to ask Manor police to re-evaluate the contracted services and offer the borough an option with a reduced level of service in an effort to bring costs down.
Starting next year, Manor police would create three sectors — two in Manor Township and one encompassing the borough. A certain number of police officers would be allocated to each section.
Under the proposed Manor Township police contract, Mountville would see an increase in the number of officers patrolling the borough.
Chin said one possible drawback of a contract with West Hempfield is their lack of motorcycle or bicycle patrol units, which Manor Township has.
"They don't have anything like a borough in their area," Chin said.
Chin said a motorcycle or bicycle patrol unit for the borough could be created at a cost passed on to the borough.
Watson said borough residents like personal contact with police officers on bicycle or foot patrols.
The possible termination of police services with Manor Township comes just weeks after Lancaster Township ended its contract with Lancaster city police after 38 years.
Chin said the borough would wait until it hears from West Hempfield before making any decision on police services.
