The people have spoken, and Red Hill Borough Council was listening.

            The council announced at its Sept. 27 meeting that Red Hill would continue using state police coverage after community survey results showed residents overwhelmingly want to stay with state police coverage.

            "It seemed to me everyone seemed happy with the state police protection," Council member Bob Walp said. "And no one wants their taxes raised."

            All of the council members agreed, although most believed the door should be left open for a possible regional police force – though not an expansion of the Upper Perkiomen Police District.

            "At this point, state police are fine, but we don't know five years from now," Council member Donna Paul said.

            Mayor Dave Schiffgens and Council member Liz DeJesus are the representatives for the borough in regional police department meetings. "I was at the last meeting," Schiffgens said, "and some of the citizens in the audience took a direct attack on one of the mayors. It was counterproductive with that type of childishness."

            DeJesus said, "The state will come in for free and survey what is needed. If it's productive we should take the time."  She stated that the No. 1 reason regional forces fail is dissension between municipalities.

            The council agreed that Schiffgens and DeJesus should continue to attend the regional police commission meetings.

            In sanitation news, the bid packets for the new borough trash hauler were sent to potential bidders. Council discussed concerns about payment of the tipping fee, and how it will be paid.

            The tipping fee is the charge that the haulers assess when they go to the landfill and dump the trash. If Red Hill pays the fee, it would be less, as the hauler will estimate high in order to cover their costs. The borough is getting bids to cover both scenarios. Opening of the bids will occur at the borough meeting on Oct. 11.

            In other news, the council discussed improvements to its yard waste removal program, which was started after Hurricane Sandy. The borough currently provides removal twice a year, in May and September.

            The council decided to move the dates of the service to the third weekends in May and September. As long as the tree branches are the correct diameter and put out the proper way, there will be no time limit on the amount of time spent at each house by the hauler. More information will be advertised prior to the weekends for removal.

            "I think it's a service and that's what their tax money is for," Council President Doris Decker said.