Apr 10, 2013 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – Carmichaels Borough has had only one officer in its police department for about the last seven years. That may soon change.

Council voted Tuesday to begin accepting applications for a part-time officer to assist police Chief Mike Gyurke in his duties.

Gyurke told council the new officer will work probably 15 to 20 hours a week and noted the borough’s Act 13 drilling impact fee money could be used to help fund the position.

The motion was approved unanimously. Councilman Ralph McWilliams said he hoped the new police officer would be required to work on Saturday nights.

In response, council President Charles Walker said that should not be a problem. With summer coming, the extra officer will be helpful, he added.

When McWilliams later mentioned he had received several complaints of speeding on borough streets, Walker pointed out that is another reason a second officer is needed.

Gyurke, who has been with the department for 17 years, also is employed full time as a police officer for Carmichaels Area School District.

Though crime has not increased dramatically in the borough, it was believed a second officer is needed to work when Gyurke is unavailable and to assist with duties such as ordinance enforcement, borough secretary Brandi Streit said later.

Council also voted to approve how it planned to use its Act 13 drilling impact fee revenue. The borough received $16,972.78 in Act 13 money last year.

The act specifies how the money can be used. Council is required to file a report on its use of the money by April 15 with the state.

Councilman John Paletta said council had a workshop meeting on use of the funds. It was decided $1,000 would be contributed to the Carmichaels Municipal Authority; $1,000 to the Carmichaels-Cumberland Township Fire Company; $4,000 would be used for streets; $4,000 for the police department; and the balance, $6,972.78, would be placed in a reserve account as required by the state.

The reserve fund money can be used later for anything allowed by the act, Walker said.

Borough street employee Jim Petron reported he is about 80 percent completed with the job of patching potholes in borough streets and alleys even though he started late this year because of the cold weather.

Walker said that anyone who knows of any potholes that might have been overlooked and need to be patched should contact the borough.

Streit also said she would talk to Cumberland Township about possibly doing a joint repair project on Cherry Alley, which is half in the township and half in the borough and is in poor condition .

It was announced borough police and Cumberland Township police will hold a drug take-back event at the borough building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27.

People who have prescription medicines they wish to dispose of can bring them to the borough building at that time. The medicines will be disposed of properly, preventing them from possibly being used illegally.