CLEARFIELD – Glenn Johnston, chairman of the Lawrence Township Board of Supervisors, spoke before Clearfield Borough Council at its committee meeting last night. He said he would prefer the borough council come to Lawrence Township with any issues they have rather than assume there are problems regarding the township police and fire services and announce it in the news.
Johnston recapped his statements from the Lawrence Township meeting on Tuesday, saying the township police provide added coverage during the Clearfield County Fair when all traffic to the fair has to travel through the township, without any support from the borough through their Amusement Tax income from the fair.
Johnston added that Lawrence Township provides road services, as well as police and fire protection to the Clearfield Area School District’s schools, without any help in costs from the other municipalities in the school district. He said the township has never called for fire truck back-up when they had equipment down.
Johnston asked, “Why all the interest from the borough regarding Lawrence Township?” “And now,” he added, “Mr. (Tim) Winters is calling for complete scheduling of township police for three years.” He raised concerns that there is an ulterior motive, because this happens to come up while the township is in police contract negotiations, as has happened before.
He said he came to answer any questions, and that he wants the borough council to come to the township with questions or issues. He said he doesn’t appreciate the information in the press that creates animosity and embarrasses the township’s personnel.
Council member Patricia Kavelak asked if the township had officers on duty during the Clearfield High School prom. Johnston said the township has full-time police coverage. Kavelak asked more specifically if the township police were on-site at the prom. Johnston said he did not have that information in front of him.
Johnston’s five-minute time allotment for speaking was up. He pointed out that the township has similar time restrictions, but they do not adhere to it so strictly. He said the borough could “go on with their business, but leave Lawrence Township alone.”
Johnston was invited to stay for the meeting because the topic would be discussed more then, but the borough’s solicitor F. Cortez “Chip” Bell advised against further discussion at this time.
Before leaving the meeting, Johnston said communities need to work together. He said the township and borough have always backed each other up, pointing out that the township had just recently hauled material for the borough’s street department at no charge, and the borough has done favors for the township as well. He said he appreciates all the borough’s help and would prefer friendly cooperation between the communities.
