Illnesses, vacations cited for rise in OT

Council voted to give the police chief a pay raise.
By SUSAN BENDER
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIANA -- Police Chief John J. Krawchyk says vacations and illness were the top reasons that overtime costs reached $157,000 in 2005.
High overtime costs were cited as the reason Krawchyk and other city managers did not receive pay raises for 2006.
Krawchyk provided details on the overtime problem during a council meeting Tuesday.
The chief said that because of vacations and illness off-duty officers had to be called in on overtime to cover shifts. A contract with the city requires two cruisers on the road at all times.
Sgt. Jim Ewing, who has 23 years of service with the city, accumulated the majority of overtime hours, working 594 extra hours in 2005.
"I wish I had 10 more like him," Krawchyk said. "He's always answering the call."
When Councilman Tom Ferguson asked how the department can cut costs, Krawchyk recommended that the city hire two additional officers that would decrease the need to bring in officers on overtime.
'Never eliminate' it
However, Krawchyk added, "We'll never eliminate overtime."
It's been almost five years since the city hired additional police officers, he said. Since that time, the city has doubled in size. There are 11 full-time officers, mostly veteran police nearing retirement.
Councilman Bill Kimpel recommended that Krawchyk organize a prospective schedule showing the cost of adding two additional officers and how this could save on overtime while increasing safety for city residents.
In the end, council approved a 3.5-percent cost-of-loving pay increase for Krawchyk for 2006.
Council also voted to appoint Larry Baughman as the new member to the Park Recreation and Cemetery Board.