SOUTHWEST MERCER COUNTY Commission rescinds some benefits for officers

The FOP advised the police commission to cut the additional insurance.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- Southwest Mercer County Regional police officers are losing some additional health-care benefits they've enjoyed since the first of the year.
The Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Commission voted Tuesday to rescind an amendment to the police contract that had added vision and dental insurance as well as some additional life insurance to the police benefits package.
The vote came at the insistence of the Fraternal Order of Police, which said the issue had never been negotiated as a contract change.
However, police officers and their families have been using the new insurance benefits since the first of the year, said James DeCapua, commission chairman.
The commission approved the contract amendment in December, noting that the commission was changing insurance carriers to get a lower premium, and the new monthly premium of $14,450 was enough to provide the same hospitalization coverage plus pick up the dental, vision and additional life insurance.
The amendment stipulated that the commission would continue to provide those additional benefits, provided that the monthly premium didn't climb above $14,450. Any cost above that mark would have to be picked up by the FOP.
Rescinded amendment
However, the amendment was contingent upon the FOP's approving the plan, and a letter from Sgt. William Hite, FOP president, dated April 15, advised the commission to rescind the amendment because it hadn't been negotiated with the FOP.
That came as a surprise to commission members who thought the police had accepted the plan.
After some debate, including a closed-door session with Hite and another FOP representative, the commission voted to rescind its earlier action, thereby cutting off the additional insurance benefits.
Mayor David George of West Middlesex, a member of the commission, said he doesn't believe the package was ever presented to the FOP membership for consideration.
DeCapua said it turns out the commission was already paying more than the $14,450 cap it had placed on the package.
The bill has been $15,555 a month since the beginning of the year, he said.