HELLERTOWN, Pa. — Borough Council has voted to approve a new-year spending plan with no increase in property or fire service taxes.
Yet the plan, approved by a 4-3 on Dec. 2, would allow the police department two new full-time officers and a 13% hourly pay raise for its part-timers.
Council members Andrew Hughes, Liz Thompson and Matt Marcincin voted against a motion to add two officers, and ultimately voted the same way on the proposed budget.
Prior to those, a motion to raise the part-time officer pay rate to $34 an hour passed 5-2, with Council President Thomas Rieger and Councilwoman Lynley Solt dissenting.
The amendments to the new budget would now put the projected police department allocations at $1,930,604.08, according to Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft, or roughly 40% of the budget.
'Committed to maintaining our own department'
Before the budget approval, Police Chief James Baitinger said, “We’re currently operating below our authorized strength without two officers.
“While our current officers work tirelessly, the need for additional personnel has become clear.
“The request is not about overextending resources; it’s about ensuring that we maintain and improve the level of service and protection of our residents that they expect and deserve.”
“The request is not about overextending resources; it’s about ensuring that we maintain and improve the level of service and protection of our residents that they expect and deserve.”Hellertown Police Chief James Baitinger, on adding two full-time officers to the ranks
Mayor David Heintzelman said adding two full-time personnel would be the most feasible direction to take — preventing excess overtime and ensuring the safety of both residents and the officers, all while remaining fiscally responsible.
“The PA State Police has provided backup in the past due to staffing shortages, but we are committed to maintaining our own department,” said Heintzelman, the borough’s chief law enforcement officer.
“The chief has strong support for the department, but some council members have resisted recommendations for improvement, thinking that they know better than him and the citizens he represents, the PA Chiefs Association and others.”
Department review 'woefully incomplete'
While the borough will hold the line this budget season with no tax hikes — which has been the case each year since 2019, according to Heintzelman — its police department and public safety were the buzz of the evening’s meeting.
A previous version of the proposed budget called for adding one officer to the ranks, while a previous report from the Pennsylvania State Chiefs of Police Association said the department is in need of four full-timers.
The group was brought on in January to conduct a borough police review centered around department operations.
Also, former Police Chief Robert Shubb resigned last October; he was charged in the months following with stealing more than $122,000 from the borough. He's pleaded not guilty to the charges since then.
“Our police department is probably the most important and certainly most impactful service this government provides to our citizens. Decisions around its future should not be made in haste and should be made within the bounds of long-term sustainability.”Hellertown Borough Councilman Andrew Hughes
Hughes said the PCPA report was “woefully incomplete” by providing officer perspective, but not broader community impact, workload analysis and the like.
He said the borough should give itself credit in moving quickly to hire its newest, qualified chief in Baitinger. But a 20% expansion of the police force would be “premature at this time,” Hughes said.
“Our police department is probably the most important and certainly most impactful service this government provides to our citizens,” Hughes said.
“Decisions around its future should not be made in haste and should be made within the bounds of long-term sustainability.”
'A good community'
Rieger said the move was “not necessarily an expansion, but an urgent necessity,” as two officers currently are out on long-term leave.
The new hires would increase the ranks to 12 on paper, but really just establish the group back to 10 active officers, he said.
John Donato, president of the Hellertown Police Association, said his fellow members have met and agreed in full that the chief possesses what it takes “to not only repair, but move our department forward.”
“We only ask that the Hellertown Borough Council, on behalf of their constituents of whom they were elected, provide him with the necessary tools to accomplish our collective vision and mission,” Donato said.
“Please don’t jeopardize the safety of our town, our community — which is a good community — our kids, because of dollars and cents; that doesn’t make sense."Hellertown resident Ray Beatty
Councilwoman Liz Thompson said of the matter, “At this time next year, I hope that we will have more information from at least the next contract negotiations.
"And we’re in a better place to grow an even bigger police department than the two officers that are being requested tonight.
"Right now, all that we know are costs are going to rise drastically over the next contract, and we have the right chief in place.”
Ray Beatty, who said he’s lived in Hellertown since he was a young boy, said it isn’t about the money.
“Please don’t jeopardize the safety of our town, our community — which is a good community — our kids, because of dollars and cents," Beatty said. "That doesn’t make sense."
