Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Legislation would allow payment of legal fees for the police chief's hearing.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Council members closed the year by passing a $27.75 million general fund budget and rejecting a fact finder's recommendation that included a provision for the city to pay a portion of the pension for police supervisors.
Councilman Robert Holmes III, D-4th, cast the lone dissenting vote against budget passage at a special council meeting Monday.
"They could have done a three-month appropriation and let the new mayor set the budget," Holmes said. "There's no law that says they can't."
Other council members said they supported passage because cities are required by law to pass a spending plan by year's end.
"This budget isn't entirely acceptable," Councilman Robert A. Marchese, D-at large. "It has some problems, but we can pass it to keep in compliance and come back Jan. 1 and amend it to how we want the budget to be."
Councilwoman Susan E. Hartman, D-7th, and Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, agreed.
"I just hope the administration doesn't hire people to fill any more positions in the next three days," Fonce said. "Any hiring from this point should be done by the new administration."
Fees for Mandopoulos case
Council also gave first reading to an ordinance calling for $7,425 in legal fees to be paid to a Cleveland law firm for the Civil Service Commission hearing for Police Chief John Mandopoulos. A motion to suspend the rule requiring three readings and to vote on the ordinance failed.
Mayor Hank Angelo had recommended that Mandopoulos be suspended for 10 days. The chief has been administratively charged with gross neglect of duty, gross dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer.
The administrative charges stem from actions by the chief and another officer May 24 outside 77 Soul, a U.S. Route 422 nightclub, and from allegations that the chief intimidated a television reporter.
The chief has appealed the suspension to the civil service commission, which is expected to decide today.
Reject recommendation
Council members also rejected the fact finder's recommendation released last week regarding a new contract for the police supervisors union. City officials have said the recommendation would cost nearly $600,000 over the life of the contract.
The contract with the union of three police captains, six lieutenants and 12 sergeants expires Wednesday. Union members unanimously accepted the recommendation last week.
The fact finder had recommended that union members' wages increase 3.5 percent in each of the next three years. Sergeants now earn $23.22 per hour; lieutenants, $26.71 per hour and captains, $30.71 hourly.
The fact finder also recommended that effective January 2005, the city pay 3 percent of each union employee's gross wage to the state police and fire pension fund. On Jan., 1, 2006, the rate paid by the city would have increased to 6 percent of each employee's gross wage under the recommendation.
Council's rejection of the recommendation means the issue will go to a conciliator appointed through the State Employment Relations Board.
Michael J. O'Brien, who was elected mayor last month, and council members were sworn in for the term, which begins Thursday.
denise.dick@vindy.com