Citing pressure from the state to explore various options on consolidation, Mayor Bob Davis said at the meeting of the Chester Borough Mayor and Council, that they would be exploring their options and have a reccomendation placing for contracting or merging police services by the end of May.

According to timetable laid mentioned in Chester Township, they are ahead of schedule.

"We met with members of the Chester Borough Committee," said Chester Township councilman Brian Murphy. "And we had to officially withdraw the proposal we had in order to work on another one. But its good. There is progress."

That progress, according to Murphy, has them expecting an answer within the next two weeks. Moments later, when discussing a bond ordinance for vehicles and equipment for the police and department of public works, Chester Township Council President Karen Powell said that work should be done on the police station.

"We need to complete the second floor of the police station in anticipation of a shared services agreement," Powell said.

After the meeting ended, Chester Township Mayor Bill Cogger said that the information on the ranking of the officers in terms of salary and grade in a merged police force was not available yet from the attorney, but would, at some point, be released.

"But this is government," Cogger said. "All of this may take five years."

According to Chester Borough Detective Keith Anderson, his department has been shut out of all talks surrounding a possible merger or shared service arrangement and the lack of transparency was hurting morale.

Anderson himself tried to file OPRA requests for documents and e-mails surrounding merger talks and was denied.

All signs on the Township's end seem to be pointing toward a deal, officials in Chester Borough, however, have declined comment.