PORT ALLEGANY  — The Port Allegany Borough Council is moving forward with a request to upgrade to emergency service communication lines.

In the manager’s report to the council during its meeting on Monday, propositions for funding and approval for a police radio system upgrade to allow easier communication between Port Allegany Police Department officers were offered up.

“It is important for communication between the chief, (Dave) Distrola, and the other officers,” said Bob Veilleux, borough manager. He added communication between Distrola and other officers was difficult when they were in a building and he was out of the building.

A communications tower must be installed, Distrola added. The school board discussed the possibility of using a grant toward the communications tower, members said, with an estimated cost of $18,000. However, through potential grants, council members said the borough might only need to cover $5,500 of the cost.

Port Allegany Ambulance voiced its support of the system and its members’ desire to “jump on board with it,” according council member Kate Kysor. She added the ambulance company wants to create separate channels so the three organizations — police, ambulance and fire company — can communicate.  

The council was also asked to begin considering the replacement process of the wastewater treatment plant.

“(The plant) is like an old car,” said Patrick Ward of Uni-Tec Consulting Engineers, the consultant working with the borough on infrastructure issues. “How long do you keep fixing it before you just replace it?”

Ward also recommended resetting of the traffic signals on U.S. Route 6, an issue he said has led to many complaints. At $300 for the original resetting and then a possibility of $150 more, “it is such an insignificant amount that it would be more harmful not to,” Veilleux said. Council members agreed to review the matter further.