Council hears police, fire and code enforcement budget presentations as public hearing opens

Lock Haven opened a public hearing on the recommended 2026 budget and heard presentations from public-safety and code-enforcement departments.

The police chief summarized 2025 accomplishments and priorities for 2026, including training partnerships, new radios and vehicle-mounted computers, and recruitment plans. The chief introduced newly hired Officer Landon Most and said the department expects to hire two more officers using grant funds. The chief identified recent equipment costs and grant support: “Abby ... was able to get us over $390,000 for those,” the chief said of radios and related communications upgrades; tasers were described as “a bit over $150,000” and car-computer/Pathfinder upgrades “right around $64,000” (figures as presented by staff).

Councilors asked how overtime budgeting would change when full staffing is reached; staff said overtime estimates are based on the prior year’s actuals, adjusted for pay-rate increases, and remain a conservative line in the proposed budget. The council also discussed a voluntary registry for citizen-owned video systems and the city’s effort to encourage registration to support investigations.

The fire department reported that the Firefighter Relief Association funded replacement turnout gear and equipment that staff estimated saved about $130,000 for taxpayers. The department plans to send staff for additional life-safety education and noted vehicle-fleet replacement remains an unfunded need; staff pointed to a newly created fire capital improvement fund to begin setting aside resources for apparatus replacement.

Code enforcement described permit activity (roughly $4.48 million in construction projects in 2025) and the implementation of municipal permit-tracking software supported by an International Code Council grant. Staff noted rental-registration work and a part-time reassignment for long-time clerk Donna Judd to manage inspections and registration, and discussed further use of the new system to streamline permits and public access.

The hearing provided time for resident questions and comments; council closed the budget hearing and moved back into business on the agenda.