Gettysburg has been the subject of public notoriety in the past year, most recently with the resignation of the newly elected Mayor due to criminal charges by the State Police. For TV, press, and social media, this will be a recurring topic. The same exposure happened when the Borough Manager was charged with a DUI by the State Police. These are supposed to be leadership roles. The Council President described the DUI as a personal matter, but when a major representative is involved, it is newsworthy and reflects on the community. Coincidentally, the former Mayor made his major campaign issue turning oversight of the police department over to the Borough Manager. Three Council members overtly endorsed Carr and the idea of shifting oversight to the Borough Manager.
It was apparent that some Council members just didn’t like the previous Police Chief. The Manager and the former Police Chief were generally at odds, and the Manager was not respectful of the police. The Police Department is said to be the most expensive item in the Borough budget, which is not uncommon. Some Council members resented that fact and thought they could do better. Budget discussions showed that the Police Chief was dealing with scheduling hours and union rules, while the Borough Manager and some Council members were just talking about dollars. The Carr campaign insisted that having 7 Council members to oversee the police, represented by the Manager, would work better. Not really.
Instead of saving money in the police department budget, the cost could actually go up because the Manager is an employee, and likely would have to be paid more to oversee an additional department. His management style appears to be divisive, and he is known to make disparaging comments about individuals who live here. It’s about power. It simply is not a good idea to have one person in total control of financial aspects, multiple departments, and law enforcement.
On March 23, Borough Council, including three new members, will interview, select and appoint a replacement Mayor from amongst residents who applied. A new police chief was appointed at the March 9 Council meeting. The new chief should be given the opportunity to run the police department and to create his own relationship with the Council. The Mayor position does not do the day to day supervision of the police department, nor should the Borough Manager.
A candidate for Mayor should have a healthy knowledge of, and respect for Gettysburg, its history and its residents. They should be willing to undertake all the duties of Mayor, as described in the PA Municipal Code. They should want to involve citizens in their local government, and have the ability to engage tourists – the economic lifeblood of Gettysburg. They should live in Gettysburg all year round, not part time. Council should not base their decision on whether an applicant is willing to abdicate oversight of the police department. A Mayor serves all of Gettysburg, not just the personal wishes of a few who are in power at this point in time. Let everything settle, reset, and make decisions based on what is really best for the entire community. Maybe then Gettysburg will be the subject of good news rather than scandals.
Susan Cipperly
Gettysburg
