CLARKS SUMMIT - After searching for eight months, Clarks Summit landed its police chief.
At a Clarks Summit Borough Council meeting Wednesday, council voted to hire Carbondale police Sgt. Joe Laguzzi as the borough's police chief - a position that has been vacant since Chief Lou Vitale retired in April.
Council members also voted Wednesday to approve its $2.59 million 2013 budget that calls for no tax increase, but a $4 jump in the monthly sewer bill, from $43 to $47. The borough's millage rate will remain at 29.5. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of a property's assessed value.
Before council moved on to the 2013 budget, though, Clarks Summit's new chief addressed council members briefly.
Having worked for the Carbondale Police Department for 20 years, Sgt. Laguzzi, 41, of Clifford Twp., said he is proud to have the opportunity serve the residents of Clarks Summit.
He said he plans to "retire" from his position in Carbondale within the next couple weeks.
"I am really looking forward to getting started here," Sgt. Laguzzi said. "I've known the officers here for a really long time - they are a great group of officers. I am looking forward to getting right down to business."
Though no contract has been finalized, borough Manager Virginia Kehoe said she expects Sgt. Laguzzi to start work by Jan. 2. At that point, Officer Chris Yarns, who has acted as the borough's officer in charge since April, will return to his position as officer.
"We were extremely pleased with the résumé, and we are excited to have him on board," council President Gerrie Carey said. "We know we are getting a great leader, one we believe will keep our borough headed in the right direction."
While council members expressed their excitement for the new police chief, they were quick to thank Officer Yarns for his work during the eight months he led the force.
"I always preach about management, and if you've seen what Mr. Yarns has done, including his work with the scales and purchasing police vehicles, he has really done a commendable job," Councilman Herman Johnson said. "I would like to thank him."
Sewer authority gets 75%
In the budget council members approved Wednesday, Clarks Summit is guaranteeing the Abington Area Joint Recreation Board 75 percent of the $15,832 it had requested - 25 percent more than the borough included in its tentative budget presented last month.
While borough officials expected residents' sewer rates to rise, the additional funding to the Abington Area Joint Recreation Board was a last-minute adjustment.
Clarks Summit's preliminary budget called for the borough to pay the joint recreation board $8,000 in 2013 - $7,832 less than the board requested, and a cut that could "significantly" impact the operations and maintenance of Abington Area Community Park, said joint recreation board President Bill Risse.
But after pleas from residents and board members, council adjusted their budget to allocate enough for 75 percent of the requested funding.
"We are doing the best we can to support a park we really love," Ms. Kehoe said.
Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter