Sewickley police officers are expected to be patrolling Glen Osborne streets for years to come as part of a new contract between the boroughs.

Sewickley Council unanimously approved a new five-year deal with its neighboring community on Nov. 11.

Glen Osborne Council was to vote in favor of its end of the bargain on Nov. 18.

The Sewickley Herald went to press on Nov. 13, ahead of that vote.

Glen Osborne officials reached on Nov. 12 said their anticipated action will be a formality.

“I’m confident that it’s going to pass,” Council Vice President William Monski said. “Everybody seems to be pretty much in agreement that it’s a pretty decent contract. We looked at it. We went over the terms.

”Their coverage of the town has been outstanding. I see no reason not to continue with them.”

Services will remain the same with an officer at Osborne Elementary School for arrival and dismissal of students, responses to all emergency calls, as well as borough patrols at least twice a day.

“This is a win-win for Sewickley and Glen Osborne,” said Sewickley Council President Cynthia Mullins. “I hope both communities take comfort in knowing that a highly professional police force is watching over their neighborhoods.

“Sewickley is devoted to finding common ground and working cooperatively with our sister communities.”

Sewickley Mayor George Shannon echoed those comments and highlighted Glen Osborne officials being good neighbors.

“It’s a natural relationship,” he said. “Everybody gets along great. It’s not a big deal for our police. They drive through the community a few times a day. They are on-call. It just works. We give them a quick and rapid response to their community.”

The current five-year deal was set to expire at the end of December. Glen Osborne budgeted close to $124,000 for police protection this year.

New contract terms will have the borough paying $121,500 for police each year for the life of the contract.

Police Chief Dave Mazza said he worked out the deal with Glen Osborne Mayor Tom Huddleston provided the borough would cover the annual cost of a security camera at the Beaver Road and Ohio River Boulevard intersection near Haysville, also for the life of the contract.

The camera was installed as part of a state grant-funded project to provide cameras and license plate readers to multiple communities within the Quaker Valley Council of Governments.

The council of governments was awarded $100,000 through the Department of Commercial and Economic Development’s Keystone Communities Program to purchase and install automated license plate reader systems at five intersections within the region. No matching municipal funds were required.

Communities would be responsible for related electric and internet expenses, which were projected at $2,225 per year.

“That camera system has become one of our most important tools in investigations,” Mazza said. “To secure a five-year deal with a neighboring borough that borders us is nothing less than proof of a great working relationship that I have enjoyed since I became chief and plan to enjoy into the future.”

Huddleston said finalizing a new police contract was one of the reasons he accepted the mayoral appointment earlier this year after Mayor Barbara Carrier resigned because she moved out of the borough. He did not run in this month’s election to keep his seat.

Matthew Doebler of the Osborne is Beautiful party ran unopposed and will be sworn in as mayor in January.

“We’re actually going to pay less to Sewickley police than we are now,” Huddleston said of the contract. “It’s a good deal, and it’s set for five years. (Mazza’s) a good guy. He’s the chief and I can’t say enough nice things about him. We sat down. I went in with a proposal and he said, ‘I got one better.’”

Glen Osborne Council President John Orndorff said he is grateful the borough did not have to look elsewhere for police coverage.

“We’ve developed a great relationship with the department,” he said.

School safety was a primary concern.

Orndorff said officers are needed at Osborne Elementary not only to protect the students, but to address parents parking along Beaver Road, which congests the area in the afternoons.

He also said that paying for the security camera at the busy state road intersection was a good compromise to get a flat rate for service.

“We felt that it is a very fair deal,” Orndorff said.

Sewickley has 12 full-time officers, including the chief, and eight part-time officers.

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