Council amends co-responder contract to raise cap to $85,000; program remains under PCCD grant

The Williamsport City Council on Jan. 16 approved a revised professional services agreement between the Williamsport Bureau of Police and the Center For Community Resources (CCR) to continue the department’s co-responder program.

Assistant Chief Bolt told council the contract revision makes three technical changes: it raises the maximum payable amount in section 2.1 from $70,000 to $85,000, corrects a prior typographical error in the stated hourly rate in section 2.1, and clarifies that benefits and paid time off for the co-responder are provided by the contractor and not by the city. The revised agreement remains funded within the PCCD grant that supports the program.

Bolt said the additional funds cover salary and equipment costs the original contract did not fully anticipate. “The amount is now not to exceed $85,000 instead of $70,000 to make sure it covers some of the expenses,” he said. He added that the contract’s per-hour rate had been corrected in the amendment to reflect the intended rate.

Councilmember Jenny (identified in the meeting as “Jenny”) asked about the grant’s flexibility; Bolt replied the grant allows the changes and that the city had budgeted for more than the amended amount to cover desk furniture and other start-up costs. Bolt said the co-responder has already been working with officers in the field 40 hours per week and that the program has been successful to date.

The motion to approve the amended professional services agreement passed on a 6-0 roll call.

The city will continue to monitor the program and expects the police department to provide updates next spring on operations and outcomes under the amended agreement.