Ligonier Valley police officer to provide security at Ligonier power line meeting

An officer from the Ligonier Valley Police Department will provide security at a public meeting FirstEnergy has set for Wednesday in Ligonier Township.

The meeting concerns the utility company’s proposed new power line between Derry and Ligonier.

The Ligonier Valley Police Commission on Monday approved an agreement with FirstEnergy to have an officer present at the Wednesday session and at any subsequent meetings.

Mark Sorice, solicitor for the police commission, said the officer will be present Wednesday in case those attending “get vociferous.”

The utility plans to present information and accept input about four routes it is considering for the line from 6 to 8 p.m. in the R.K. Mellon Elementary School gym, 559 Bell St. It has said the line would provide a backup source of electricity to help prevent an outage for customers in the Ligonier and Derry areas.

The Loyalhanna Watershed Association and the owner of a Ligonier Township homestead have expressed concern about the potential environmental and agricultural impacts on their properties if FirstEnergy chooses the southernmost of its proposed line routes.

Police Chief Mike Matrunics said the police presence is meant to maintain order.

“I don’t foresee anything happening,” he said.

The Ligonier Valley officer will work a minimum of four hours per event, with the department receiving a fee of $125 per hour. The officer is scheduled to work from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Information about the power line proposal can be viewed online by visiting firstenergycorp.com, selecting “Transmission Projects” under the “About Us” heading and searching under “Pennsylvania” for the Bethlen-Ethel Springs project.