SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP Trustees approve 3-year police pact

For the first time, the township did not have to resort to binding arbitration.
BY MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW SPRINGFIELD -- A new police contract gives Springfield Township's four full-time police officers 4 percent increases each year of the three-year contract beginning Jan. 1.
Trustees unanimously approved the contract Wednesday.
Trustee Reed Metzka said this is the first time the township did not have to resort to binding arbitration to pass a police contract and estimated that $6,000 to $10,000 was saved in legal and arbitration costs.
The township's five part-time officers will receive a 3 percent increase in each year of the contract.
The increases will bring starting hourly rates for police to $10.66 for part-time patrolmen, $15.65 for full-timers and $17.76 for sergeants.
The officers, represented by the Northeast Ohio Police Benevolent Association, made two concessions, agreeing to reduce pay for officers attending required police meetings from four to two hours, and eliminating Labor Day for part-time officers.
Officer Ray Fellows represented the union in negotiations.
Transport van
Also Wednesday, Trustee Shirley Heck reported she met with officials from the Youngstown Community Action Council and the group will assess the township as part of her effort to obtain a van to transport the elderly and sick to doctor's appointments.
Trustees also agreed to pay several bills including:
U$9,018 to the Mahoning County Engineer's Office for engineering services for the improvements to be done on Phil Rose Lane with state Issue 2 money.
U$3,088 to J.H.Reiter II Fire Extinguishers, Sharon, Pa., for turnout gear.
U$2,745 to Kurt Susany Construction, Beaver Township, for construction of a new office in the township building.
U$1,600 to KLG Mobile Intensive, Salem, for medical direction for the township ambulance EMT service.
U$2,552 to Clemente Communications Inc., Struthers, for four 16-channel portable radios.
Honor for chief
They presented departing Fire Chief Frank Molnar with a certificate of appreciation for his 13 years as chief and 33 years with the fire department. Heck announced a reception for Molnar will be at 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at the township building. Molnar retires Dec. 31.
Trustees will meet in executive session at 8:05 p.m. today to discuss personnel.