Trustees approve pact with police union

NEW SPRINGFIELD -- A three-year contract with Springfield Township police union has been unanimously approved by the township trustees.
The former contract expired Dec. 31, but police agreed to work under an extension because two new trustees were seated in January.
The new contract with the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association provides a 3 percent raise for each of the contract years. For the first time, police will also have automatic step increases in their wage at the end of each year.
New base rates are $11.65 per hour for a part-time patrolman, $13 per hour for a new full-timer, $13.95 after one year and $17.44 after two years. A first-year sergeant would make $19.79 per hour.
The twice-yearly agility test requirement was reduced to once a year and the bonus for passing weapons proficiency tests was increased.
Police gave up one holiday -- the day after Thanksgiving, and a week of vacation for a newly hired patrolman, but a sixth week of vacation was added after 28 years.
They also agreed to a reduction from 240 hours to 200 hours of accumulated comp time.
Trustees also added a clause requiring that newly created full-time patrolmen positions be posted internally for 14 days to give preference to part-timers. Police Chief Matthew Mohn said the department will be expanded by one full-time patrolman because of the passage of a police levy in November.