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Pottstown council approves lease to host county drone housing on Burrow Hall with indemnity requirement
Summary
The Committee of the Whole approved a motion directing staff to prepare and execute a standard lease allowing Montgomery County to place a drone "nest" on Burrow Hall, with the borough to require indemnification; the motion passed 4-2 in roll call.
Pottstown Borough Council’s Committee of the Whole voted Thursday to move forward with a lease that would allow Montgomery County’s drone housing — described in the meeting as a drone “nest” tied to the county’s sharpshooter program — to be installed on the roof of Burrow Hall, provided the final agreement includes indemnification protecting the borough.
The action directs borough staff to prepare and execute a standard lease agreement and to proceed “as soon as possible” even if some technical and privacy questions from councilors remain unanswered. Councilors voted 4 in favor and 2 opposed during a roll-call vote; the chair declared the motion carried.
Councilors, the borough solicitor and police staff debated whether the council should wait for detailed technical answers from the district attorney’s office and the drone vendor (referred to in the meeting as Brink) about security, data handling and privacy before authorizing a lease. Councilor Proxell made the motion to revert to the previously proposed authorization; a second was recorded and discussion followed.
Councilor Levandowski and Councilor Procter voted aye. Councilor Lindsey and Councilor Vandy voted no. Councilor Monastra and President Wien voted yes; the chair announced “4 yeses” and the motion passed. The motion as described in the meeting directs staff to return a standard lease in a final form acceptable to the borough solicitor, borough manager and police chief and to include indemnity protections for the borough.
Supporters cited public-safety benefits and the desire to make the system available quickly after two recent shootings in the borough. Opponents and several councilors pressed for written answers to privacy and liability questions — for example, how footage would be stored, who may access it, whether third-party vendors would be involved in processing, and what safeguards would prevent unintended dissemination. The borough solicitor said those issues could be addressed through contractual indemnities and security provisions.
Police staff and the borough solicitor said the county would operate the drone; the borough would only allow the housing to be placed on its roof. Council members asked that any lease require Montgomery County and its partners to carry appropriate insurance and indemnify the borough against claims arising from operation, hacking, or other misuse of the system.
The council also discussed the timeline and installation scope. Staff and county representatives indicated mounting the nest would require minor rooftop bracket work and possibly a short electrical run; officials estimated installation could take roughly a month after agreement execution.
The council’s action tonight authorized staff and three designated borough representatives to conclude negotiations and sign the standard lease; council members said the three designees would share details with the full council and accept written input from other members and constituents during the finalize-and-sign phase.
No operational policy or procedural details about how the drone would be deployed or how footage would be used were adopted during the meeting; councilors said operational issues remain subject to county protocols and future review. The lease authorization is limited to permitting the device to be housed on borough property.
