Will jobs follow the applications?

The fire and police chiefs would like to have additional personnel.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Dozens of applications for police and fire positions have been handed to city officials, but any hiring will still hinge on the city's lean budget.
March 31 was the deadline for applications. There are 45 applications for entry-level police officers and 18 applications for entry-level firefighters. A civil service exam is set for April 25.
Mayor James Melfi said the city hasn't decided whether it will hire any police officers or firefighters. He said officials wanted the list on hand in case a decision to hire is made. A determination, he said, will be made after the civil service exam has been given.
The city entered fiscal emergency in August 2001 and has not hired any police officers or firefighters since.
One police officer will retire May 6, reducing the department ranks to 16 officers and three dispatchers. The fire department also saw one employee retire in March, but another firefighter returned from active military duty, keeping department staffing at 13, including the chief.
Savings foreseen
Police Chief Frank Bigowsky has reviewed the police department's budget and thinks that officers could be hired at a possible savings -- if current overtime is considered -- to the city.
According to Bigowsky, any incoming officers would be paid 75 percent of a veteran officer's salary based on the city's tiered salary schedule. Plus, he said, veteran officers receive an additional $2 per pay for each year of service.
The police department spent upward of $160,000 in overtime during 2005. Bigowsky said the city has asked him to eliminate overtime and the only way to do that is to hire.
"That $160,000 in overtime would definitely pay for two police officers. There is no need to pay that much in overtime when we could hire someone and alleviate the stress on the guys working all the overtime," he said.
Ideal staffing
Bigowsky said he would like to have a staff of at least 21 officers and dispatchers.
"I could always use more firefighters. Twelve is a very limiting number. We must be very good at what we do because we don't have a lot of people responding to any situation," Fire Chief Ken Bornemiss said he would like to see staffing levels return to where they were before fiscal emergency, but he said that is not likely.
jgoodwin@vindy.com