UNION TOWNSHIP Complaint to be filed against police union

The extension was presented by former supervisor Steve Galizia.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Township supervisor chairman Clair Damon said Wednesday that township solicitor Gabriel Cilli will file a complaint by week's end asking for a declaratory judgment against the Union Township Police Association -- the bargaining unit for township police.
The township is asking the court to rule that a Nov. 17, 2005, police contract extension and a Dec. 20, 2005, addendum be declared void and unenforceable.
The township claims the contract should be voided because:
UAction to extend it did not comply with a provision of the 2004-'06 contract for modification or reopening.
UA special meeting Nov. 14 was not properly advertised.
UThe contract re-opening violates Pennsylvania law.
UThe extension agreement and a later addendum is a "midnight contract" and as such, void. Cilli explained in January that a midnight contract is when a current board tries to extend its control beyond its term of office.
UThere were no negotiations or collective bargaining between the police association and supervisors before passing the extension.
UAn addendum approved Dec. 20 violated the Sunshine Act and Pennsylvania Common Law.
Cilli said in January that the township could ignore the extension because the way it was approved made it an illegal "midnight contract."
However, since then, police have filed a grievance against the township over failure to comply with the extension. The township now faces arbitration on the issue, Damon said.
The contract was extended one year before it expired and the extension covers the entire term of newly elected supervisor Clair Damon.
Former supervisor Steve Galizia, who had just been defeated for re-election, had presented the other two supervisors with the extension. Supervisor Pat Angiolelli joined Galizia to vote in favor, and supervisor Kevin Guinaugh voted against.
The extension provided the police chief with a $2,000 raise each of the six contract years as well as an extra two holidays and an extra week of vacation at 10 years. His 2005 salary was $36,000.
It also provides the lieutenant, who made $15.30 per hour in 2005, with hourly raises over the contract's six years of respectively, 80, 90, 50, 50 and 75 cents and $1.