Pushes borough council to send its solicitor to look into contribution

        A year after an anonymous donation was made through the Upper Perk Police Officers Association toward the purchase of new police uniforms, East Greenville Mayor Ryan Sloyer said Tuesday night that he doesn't want to be held liable for the undisclosed contribution that could haunt him and the borough in the future.

        The borough council voted in a 4-3 decision during the May 26 meeting to send Solicitor Stephen Kramer to meet with his counterpart, Upper Perk Police Commission Solicitor Phil Gazan, to discuss the issue.

        The topic dominated much of the contested discussion at start of the borough council meeting. Councilman Ryan Pugh made the motion to approve the measure and three members, Andrew Rock, Josiah Pierson and Timothy Huff voted "no." Sloyer, Rock and Huff currently serve on the police commission.

        "I want to know the liability that this borough or any elected official who serves on that commission had if that turned out down the road to be a special interest donation," Sloyer said. "In the past if the commission was involved with any donation, we used to know. We knew everything exactly where it was coming from."

        Last year, Upper Perk police officers approached the commission with a request to purchase the new uniforms which are made of ripstock material and are comfortable during hot summer days. The uniform consists of dark grey pants with grey stripe on the sides and a grey shirt with two breast pockets. The total cost of the new outfitting for all officers estimated at $5,000.

        The proposition had generated attention in this newspaper in support of donating towards the cost, but some commission members objected to move on with the purchase due to lack of funding.  A fundraising effort during the 5K Macoby Run in November 2014 aimed at generating finances to cover the cost. One-third of all proceeds from the event was planned to go to the police association for its donation toward the new uniforms.

        During that time, an anonymous donor(s) gave a $5,000 contribution and the association had asked the commission to approve that funding for new uniforms. The donation was made on the condition that all money is returned back to the original party if other avenues for funding are discovered.

Sloyer said he was the only member on the police commission who objected and did not vote.

        The Upper Perk Police Officers Association is an independent entity which the Upper Perk Police Commission doesn't govern or have any say in.

        "They've [the police association] brought us into this by asking if they can purchase the new uniforms for the department using that donation. So as far as I'm concerned, we should know where that money's coming from," Sloyer said.

        According to Sloyer, no one knows to this day how the uniforms were paid for and if that contribution ever went toward it. "Nobody is saying anything about this donation, nobody wants to say a word," he said. "If it's a legitimate contribution for uniforms then what is the harm and why are they so afraid to announce to the commission who it is that donated the money?" he added.

        "It's kind of a normal type of thing that happens with police associations," Huff pointed out.

        Rock said he isn't sure who picked up the final tab for the uniforms but assured the council that the money was spent or given back with integrity, according to Gazan's counsel.

Pennsburg Mayor Vicki Lightcap, who chairs the police commission, did not respond to requests for a comment as of press time.

        Sloyer noted that the police association has been straightforward about donations for "Shop with the Cop" and "Movie Day with the Cops" programs. In addition, he said, they even revealed to the commission who was behind the most recent anonymous $20,000 contribution for the police department. But he said when it comes to the $5,000 donation, he's continuously ignored by his counterparts.

        "I want to make sure none of us on hook," he said.

        In other news, borough residents will now be able to purchase trash bags at EZ Shoppe convenience store, located at Fourth and Main streets, starting next week. Borough council has unanimously agreed to provide the gas station again with the chance to sell bags after it revoked that privilege several years ago following reported noncompliance of a maintenance code the sale of "questionable" products.

        EZ Shoppe is added to a list of several locations that already sell the trash bags that includes Univest Bank, Subway restaurant and the borough hall.