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By KIMBERLY JAMES Times Leader Correspondent
 Tuesday, January 07, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 8A 





KINGSTON - Luzerne Mayor Jim Keller appeared in front of Kingston Council
at Monday night's reorganization and regularly scheduled meeting to try to
resolve the police-contract dispute between the municipalities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``If we've mishandled the approach discussing this contract, I am very
sorry,'' Keller said.``Please accept our apologies.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Luzerne must be released from a three-year police contract with Kingston
before entering into a cooperative police services contract with Swoyersville. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Keller offered National Association of Chiefs of Police statistics, which
recommend one uniformed officer for every 1,000 people in a community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Kingston has a population of 13,851 people; therefore, you need 14
uniformed officers, and you only have 10 uniformed officers, not counting
Luzerne, who has a population of 3,000, which means another three uniformed
officers, making it 17 officers total,'' Keller said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Swoyersville and Luzerne combined would have a population of 8,600 with 10
uniformed officers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``You tell me who would have the better coverage,'' Keller said. ``For the
safety and well-being of both towns, you should relieve us of our contract.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Luzerne's solicitor Jonathon Spoher and Borough Council President Rosemary
Sigmond were also in attendance and both approached council. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I helped negotiate this contract a year ago, and I'm here to give my
opinion, and I know everyone is strained. But both towns would be better
served to be let out of this contract, so I suggest council entertain a motion
and vote on terminating this contract as soon as possible,'' Spoher said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sigmond questioned when the issue of the police contract would be on the
agenda. The council informed her it would be discussed at the Jan. 20 work
session at 7 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kingston Mayor James Haggerty said the statistics Keller had provided were
incorrect and disputed Swoyersville having 10 officers. He cautioned everyone
to make sure the facts were correct. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Robert Thompson, Kingston Borough Council vice president, clarified the
number of Kingston officers, which he said was 13. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I just hope Mayor Haggerty, the (Fraternal Order of Police) and the
police can sit down and get their heads together and get this thing solved,''
Thompson said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The council urged Keller to appear at the next work session to again
discuss the police contract. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In other business: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Charles Cooper was reappointed to the Kingston Borough Authority for a
term to expire on Dec. 31, 2007. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Haggerty said that as of the end of December, the borough has roughly an
extra $218,000, adding how important it is to pay attention to the little
things. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A Keystone Grant for $50,000 was awarded for the Hoyt Library. The money
will be used to install a new heating system, which will cost about $100,000,
said Paul Keating, borough administrator. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Luzerne Angles For An Out In Police Contract