East Greenville Borough Council voted Tuesday to streamline approval of change orders related to the conversion of the Colonial Village Clubhouse into a police station.

            During its public meeting, council unanimously approved a resolution directing President Tracey Hunsinger and Vice President Marita Thomson to approve any future change orders related to the project in order to keep the project on schedule. The measure included a requirement to convene a special public meeting should any order push the total cost over $159,021, the approved conversion amount awarded in July to Hereford contractor to John Membrino.

            "I don't foresee a lot more change orders," Sloyer said during the meeting.  Solicitor Stephen Kramer suggested that the members add the final condition "just to be safe."

            Work to convert the clubhouse has begun, according to Mayor Ryan Sloyer. He said after the meeting that internal demolition of a wall has already occurred.

            During the meeting, Sloyer told the audience that two change orders had reduced the cost of the project to $139,996. The mayor identified one change order that added $7,425 and another that reduced the cost by $26,450.

            After the meeting, Sloyer could not provide any further details on either order. He was also unable to provide any information regarding any additional work.

            After the meeting, the mayor expressed hope that the work would be completed by the middle of October. He said an open house would be scheduled for the public.

            Responding to an audience question, Sloyer and Hunsinger explained that the police headquarters was necessary for several reasons, including to store evidence and hold suspects until they are arraigned.

            In a related matter, Sloyer announced that the municipality's new police department accounted for taxpayer savings of $44,632. He explained that the borough spent $116,261 from June 1 to Aug. 31, including start-up costs, to create the department. He said the municipality would have contributed $160,893 over the same three-month period to the Upper Perk Police Commission if the agency had not been dissolved.

            Over time those savings will increase, according to Hunsinger. She said they will help offset the renovation costs.

            During the meeting, Sloyer said he was working on a 2018 budget for the East Greenville Borough Police Department, and that he was hoping to release the details later in the month.  "I'm running some numbers," the mayor said.

            The municipal police department and the state police handled 31 calls for service in August, down from 55 in June and 58 in July, according to a monthly activity report presented by Andrew Skelton, chief of the East Greenville Borough Police Department.

            Sloyer credited the borough's community policing philosophy for the decrease.  "Our officers are very proactive," he said after the meeting.

            The local department responded to five reported crimes and issued 33 traffic tickets/citations. The state police received 12 calls for service from the public during the month, according to the same information.