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Council considers public safety director.

The Harrisburg City Council opted to wait on some proposed changes to city government.

Commissioner Beth Montfort, sought to create a public safety director job during the Council meeting Thursday at City Hall. Her motion was passed and discussion took place behind closed doors in executive session.

Several questions arose during the opening meeting concerning paying for the position. Montfort told the Council, "There will be no cost to the tax payer."

But Commissioner Richard Harper, who oversees accounts and finances, disagreed with Monfort.

Montfort recommended that fire Chief John Gunning assume the roll as public safety director, a job that oversees the duties of the fire and police chiefs.

However, Gunning turned down the position for the time being, in lieu of meetings and discussions with both the fire and safety commissioner, Natalie Miller, and police Chief Whipper Johnson.

"I really have no doubt that John Gunning can do good things with the new position, I think he is great," Miller said. "It is the money that really bothers me, we have spent the last nine months saying we don't have money for this, we don't have money for that, it is really hard to hear that for nine months and be able to say, 'OK, let's spend.'"

Community members had questions and comments as well during the meeting.

For instance: "I do not understand how you are going to put a fire Chief in charge of a police department," Zachary Gibbons said.

If Gunning had accepted the position it would have taken effect today.

The Council adjourned to a closed executive session with Gunning to discuss the details of the position, based on what was talked about, but no action was taken.

"I think I have worked well with him as the fire chief, but like I stated, I have not been a part of the planning so I have been left out of the loop," Miller said.