Lebanon City Council got departmental updates from the city’s police and fire chiefs at last Thursday’s pre-council planning meeting, then disposed of a brief agenda at last night’s regular monthly meeting.
Fire Chief A.J. Sweitzer briefed council on his department’s introduction of the First Due Fire & EMS software package, which replaces four distinct packages and paper records, streamlining analysis and planning. Among other tasks, First Due will track calls, training, permits and inspections, pre-planning, and make it easier to compile and analyze year-end data.
“We were using four separate platforms, plus paper and pen for scheduling and violations,” Sweitzer said. “First Due allows us to operate under one cloud-based software platform. It allows us to get an overall picture of what the department looks like year-to-year.”
Because it’s cloud-based, department personnel can access the system from anywhere that has an internet connection, including at fire scenes. “All the information is right there, at our fingertips,” Sweitzer said.
One other advantage he hopes to gain from better software is the ability to map city structure fires, which in the future will help plan where apparatus and fire houses should be located.
Sweitzer, who succeeded Duane Trautman as fire chief in April 2023, was blunt in his assessment of fire department training and the need to implement “a sustainable program.” “Training in the year 2023 was not what we expected it to be. With the change in leadership, we had a different vision for the department.”
Newly hired assistant chief Jeff Campbell “really took on the training program,” Sweitzer said, noting that standard operating guidelines and policies have been changed, especially regarding driver training, citing a study done for the department had recommended better training.
He said training on the department’s administrative side has also been updated, including procedures and processes for issuing permits for work being done in the city.
According to Sweitzer, there were 956 year-to-date training man hours and 4,210 so far in 2024.
Sweitzer also reported that year-to-date calls were at 1,225, eight less than the same time in 2023. This year is on pace for about 1,700 calls, roughly the same as 2023.
Kitchen fires remain the runaway No. 1 cause of structure fires in the city, according to Sweitzer. “This year especially, I’m going to attribute 75% of fires … to kitchen fires.”
Young police force near full strength for first time in eight years
Police Chief Bret Fisher reported that his department has 40 officers, one under its authorized full complement, and is actively seeking a 41st. “The last time we had 40 officers consistently was back in 2016,” and “the last time we had 41 was in 2015,” he reported.
According to Fisher, there are 28 officers assigned to the city’s four patrol platoons, which work 12-hour shifts: one lieutenant, three sergeants, four patrolmen 1st class, and 20 officers, seven per platoon. For every 12-hour shift, Fisher said between five and seven officers are on the streets patrolling.
The department also has six detectives, one of whom has been assigned to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration since 2023, and another to the Lebanon County Drug Task Force.
Demographically, Fisher described a broad-based but young force and expressed hope that Lebanon can retain officers as they gain more and more experience. Fourteen officers have four or fewer years of total police experience anywhere, including at other agencies, and 19 have been with Lebanon P.D. for four years or less. Only three have 20 or more total years as cops, and only eight have been with Lebanon for 20 or more years.
Fourteen officers were born in Lebanon County, 18 graduated from local high schools, 27 are college grads (15 with criminal justice degrees), and nine served in the military.
Fisher emphasized the benefits of veteran officers by pointing out that Lebanon’s “most senior officer … has been here 37 years. He’s due to retire on Dec. 31, 2024. That’s a wealth of knowledge I’m going to be losing.”
Those officers with five to nine years experience “are where I’m looking for emerging leaders. To me, there is no substitute for experience on the street.”
Other business
After hearing from Sweitzer and Fisher last Thursday, council held its regular monthly meeting last night and handled a varied agenda.
- Mayor Sherry Capello reported that through Aug. 31, with the budget year 67% complete, city revenue and expenses were at 85% and 53%, respectively, of 2024 projections.
- Council heard from the mayor that three compliance audits performed by the state auditor general covering Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2023, revealed no deficiencies or corrections. Those audits covered the city’s non-uniformed employee, paid firefighter, and police pension plans.
- Director of administration Melissa Quinones reported on the minimum pension plan contributions the city will have to make in 2025: police $1,037,812 ($947,755 in 2024), and fire $398,491 ($423,613 in 2024). As in 2024, the city will be required to make no contribution to the non-uniformed pension plan next year.
- Council authorized the mayor to sign an agreement on behalf of the city with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation relating to a new traffic light at Cornwall Road and Orange Street, necessitated by the newly opened Lebanon Junior High School. The city will initially advance part of the cost, but PennDOT will completely reimburse it. Lebanon School District will pay the balance.
- Council authorized the mayor to sign another agreement with PennDOT for repairs to the North Lincoln Avenue bridge over the Quittapahilla Creek. The city will contribute 5% of the $2,419,500 cost, with the state and federal governments paying the balance.
- Council passed an ordinance, on final reading, amending the paid firefighters’ pension plan. An arbitrator’s award with the firefighters’ union ruled that they can retire, pension eligible, with 20 years of service, regardless of age. The same arbitrator’s award held that firefighters who have entered the city’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan are not eligible for cost of living adjustments.
Next Lebanon City Council meetings
City Council’s next pre-council planning meeting will be on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 4:45 p.m. The next regular monthly council meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m.
City Council meetings are open to the public. They are held in the City Hall multi-purpose room, 735 Cumberland St., first floor, Lebanon.
Meetings are also streamed live on YouTube, here.
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