Pensions, Assets Haunt Berks-Lehigh Commission

Auctioning remaining assets and sorting out projected pension shortfalls are two of the most pressing issues facing the Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Commission.

The Berks-Lehigh Police Commission voted unanimously to dissolve the regional police department as of Dec. 31, after Upper Macungie supervisors voted to leave the Berks-Lehigh force and create its own as of Jan. 1. 

Now, the commission is still dealing with fallout issues and progress is slow, according to Upper Macungie Supervisor Sam Ashmar, who also serves on the BLRP commission.

Ashmar told Upper Macungie Supervisors Thursday night that no date has been set for a planned auction of Berks-Lehigh assets, which include vehicles and a number of other items.

"We have to get the vehicles cleaned up," Ashmar said. "[The auction] will be held in April or May, when we have a date certain and we'll have it at Independent Park [in Upper Macungie]."

Ashmar said the sale of vehicles will be targeted to municipalities. But, there are some items that could be made available to the general public.

Ashmar noted that there is still a lot of discussion surrounding the BLRP's pension shortfall, which he estimates could be higher than $700,000.

One of the biggest points of contention had been that Upper Macungie paid the lion's share of cost for the regional police force but only got a 25 percent voting interest.