Arbitration to likely decide contract for police officers

The mayor wouldn't say if he recommended council accept or reject the report.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A contract for police officers likely will go to binding arbitration.
City council voted 7-0 Wednesday to accept a state fact finder's report. The vote was moot, however, because the patrol officers union rejected the report 108-0, said Law Director John McNally IV.
If either side rejects a fact-finding report, an arbitrator whose decision is binding hears proposals by each side and picks one.
McNally said there will be talks to try to resolve some of the outstanding contract issues. An arbitrator most likely will decide the main items, he said.
Last week, a state fact finder suggested that police officers take a wage freeze in the first year of a three-year contract. The report then suggests officers receive 3-percent and 4-percent raises the next two years.
The city says the recommended raises for officers would cost the city $300,000 and $450,000 in the last two years of a deal.
Health insurance
The report also recommends officers start making monthly contributions toward health insurance premiums, but not until December.
Patrolman Kevin Bokesch, president of the Youngstown Police Association, couldn't be reached to comment.
It didn't matter which way council voted. McNally said it appeared during a 50-minute executive session that there weren't enough votes for a rejection, so council accepted the report. The 7-0 vote speaks for itself, McNally said.
Nobody else was speaking, however.
Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, council's finance chairman, referred questions to the administration. Finance Director David Bozanich deferred to Mayor George M. McKelvey. McKelvey said he had no comment, citing ongoing negotiations.
McKelvey wouldn't say whether the administration recommended council accept or reject the report, adding that he wouldn't reveal what was said in the closed session.
rgsmith@vindy.com