FARRELL Council OKs contracts
Police and firefighters are to receive raises of $1,000 a year.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
FARRELL, Pa. -- City council approved two-year contracts Monday for its office and street department workers and firefighters.
Also approved was a four-year contract for the Southwest Mercer County Regional Police.
All of these contracts have been approved by the workers involved.
The police contract, which has already been approved by the regional police commission, also requires approval by the borough councils of West Middlesex and Wheatland, who also participate in the police jurisdiction.
Five workers belonging to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO, Local 200, including office workers and street department personnel, will get 50 cent-an-hour raises Jan. 1, 2002, and Jan. 1, 2003.
Two full-time firefighters belonging to Local 1615 of the International Association of Firefighters, who now earn $30,975 a year, will get $1,000-a-year raises effective Jan. 1, 2002, and Jan. 1, 2003.
Their work week will increase from 48 to 52 hours and they will be paid for the additional work time under the new agreement, said city manager Lavon Saternow.
Police contract: Under the contract with Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 34, 13 full-time officers, whose scale ranges from $27,211 to $35,564 a year, will get $1,000 pay raises yearly beginning Jan.1, 2002.
Six part-time police officers, who now earn $9 an hour, will get a 50-cent-an-hour raise Jan. 1, 2002, and 25 cents each Jan. 1 thereafter.
The new contract allows for layoff of the two full-time officers with lowest seniority if a federal Community Oriented Police Services grant, which expires Dec. 31, is not renewed.
"This contract, in a very short span of time, shows a tremendous meeting of the minds and smoking of the peace pipe,'' said Farrell Mayor William Morocco, a member of the police commission.
Other business: In other activity, the Farrell council:
UTabled four bids, ranging from $70 to $5,000, for the fire department's 1951 American LaFrance Pumper Truck, which is antiquated and not used for fire response; the department can consider keeping the truck for its historical value.
UDiscussed the proposed $1.9 million city budget for 2002, which is up about $80,000 over this year's budget.
UApproved a final payment of $124,626 to Sharon Paving & amp; Construction Co. for work completed on this year's street improvement project.
UHeard Saternow announce that the city's Christmas tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Kiwanis Triangle on Sharon-New Castle Road followed by a reception at city hall.
UMoved its regular December meeting from Dec. 24 to 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and scheduled the first public hearing on next year's Community Development Block Grant program for 6 p.m. Dec. 17.
UAuthorized an amendment to the Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone Corp. charter to include parts of West Middlesex in the zone, whose occupants are eligible for low-interest industrial development loans of up to $150,000.