SHARON Firefighters, cops get retirement incentives

Three police officers are being offered a retirement incentive granted to three other veteran officers at the end of 2000.
SHARON, Pa. -- Six firefighters and three police officers stand to get a substantial boost in their pensions if they take advantage of a retirement incentive approved by city council Thursday.
Both groups normally retire at 50 percent of their salary, but the city is offering 70 percent to the firefighters if they retire within the next four years.
That plan will save the city about $185,000 over seven years by replacing those veterans who make about $30,000 a year with starting firefighters at about $19,000 a year, according to Michael Gasparich, finance director.
Police: Three police officers are being offered a retirement incentive granted to three other veteran officers at the end of 2000.
That package allows them to get credit for up to 120 unused sick days in the calculation of their retirement benefits and could raise their pension benefits to between 60 and 75 percent of their salaries.
The police incentive offered last year resulted in three vacancies, saving the city about $80,000 this year and $130,000 a year thereafter.
Savings the city might realize by offering the same incentive to three more officers is unclear.
There are no plans for any more reduction in force but there would be a savings realized by replacing the veteran officers with new patrolmen.
The vote on the packages was 4-1 with Councilman George Gulla opposed.