POLAND POLICE Fact finder: Revisit idea of a co-payment

The co-pay issue will be renegotiated in two years.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Township police and trustees still don't know if police officers will be required to help pay for health insurance in 2005.
A three-year contract through 2005 was reached in April, but a fact-finder determined this month that health insurance co-pay should be revisited for the third year.
No township employees pay for health insurance.
Trustee Annette DiVito said trustees plan to move all employees into some type of co-pay in an effort to save money.
"The cost of insurance is skyrocketing, and this would help out," she said. "We thought, with the police, if we could get them to accept a co-pay, it would be easier to negotiate with [other employees] later."
Contracts with the road department, zoning department and clerical staff will be up for renewal by the third year of the police contract. DiVito said trustees plan to negotiate with all employees around the same time.
The police contract does include pay raises and increased personal days off.
Details of contract
Patrolmen will receive a 4-percent raise in the first year, 3 percent the second and 2 percent the third. There is also a 50-cent-per-hour step after five years and 10 cents an hour for each additional year, up to 10 years.
Sergeants will be paid 12 percent more than the highest-paid patrol officer. Chief Carl Massullo will be paid 15 percent higher than the highest-paid sergeant. The chief's pay the first year of the contract is about $28.30 per hour.
Under the new contract, all officers will receive up to five personal days per calendar year, up from three. Holiday pay will also increase from 21/2 times the regular rate to three times.
Uniform allowance goes up by $100 over the three-year contract from $700 annually.
Officers who maintain a safe driving record will continue to receive an annual $100 bonus.
According to clerk Joe Granitto, the contract will cost the township an additional $39,888 in the first year. Another $23,089 will be added in the second year and $17,557 in the third year. No overtime cost have been factored into those figures.
jgoodwin@vindy.com