The Pulaski community has spoken and the village Police Department will not dissolve. Voters cast their ballots Tuesday. This comes after nearly a year of discussion. Iris St. Meran has more.

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PULASKI, N.Y. -- There were 217 votes not to abolish and 147 votes to abolish the Pulaski Police Department.

According to the village board, the current police budget is $218,000. The chief is asking for $100,000 increase, which would go to hire one full time officer.

There is currently one full time position, which is the chief's, and seven part time officers. The increase would also bring the hourly wage for part time officers in line with area police departments. This would also allow for more hours of coverage.

Retaining the department also means according to the village property taxes would increase 18 percent. So for a $100,000 home that means a $108 property tax increase.

With the department in now intact, the chief is looking forward.

"We got to sit down. We got to talk. We got to figure out where we're at. Where we want to go and how we want to do it. I think if we do that, together we can work this situation out and it will be better for everyone involved," Pulaski Police Chief Ellery Terpening said.

The chief says officers respond to many quality of life calls and that is something he feels would not have been top priority for other agencies that might have taken over if there was a dissolution.