Sharpsburg Council doesn't want to play "big brother," but with repetitive vandalism racking up repair bills, it might not have a choice.

Councilman Larry Stelitano, streets and parks committee chairperson, wants the vandalism to stop -- particularly at two sites where grant money paid for recent construction -- and proposed installing surveillance cameras to catch the culprits.

Most recent incidents appalling council and residents include damage to the Kennedy Park pavilion and the 13th Street boat ramp.

"It's like beating your head against a brick wall," Stelitano said. "We got all this grant money to make the borough a better place to live and we have to constantly pay out more money for repairs."

The pavilion, constructed in 2003, has minor damage of BB-gun holes shot through glass blocks leading into the bathroom, holes in the aluminum siding, a broken gate and missing pieces to a fence opening into the playground area, and graffiti spray painted on the side.

The pavilion also is the site of a theft that has become more common in the area: Someone crawled into an access panel in the rear of the building and stole copper plumbing from the inside. The suspect also ripped electrical wiring in the process.

"The plumbing alone will cost $500 to $800 to repair," Stelitano said. "You can't help but get frustrated."

An estimate to repair all of the pavilion damage is not yet available.

"It's time to put cameras up, before the building has to be torn down," said Joe Panza, council president.

The 13th Street boat ramp -- a 600-pound. aluminum ramp installed only a year ago -- also has been stolen, according to Stelitano.

The surveillance cameras would be installed atop light posts, pointed toward the pavilion and where a new boat ramp will be installed.

Council still is researching costs of the cameras and then will seek grant funds for the equipment. Council also will consider increasing lighting in the areas around the pavilion and boat ramp.

Aspinwall has surveillance cameras installed throughout the borough.

The borough received grant money through District Attorney Stephen Zappala's office to purchase and install the equipment, which also is connected to laptop computers the police department has in two vehicles.