Boardman cops get new pact
By Sean Barron
A lower differential will help save thousands of dollars for the township, a trustee said.
BOARDMAN — Members of a union representing the township’s rank police officers will be contributing a portion of their pay to health care costs, which marks the first time in the township’s history that all employees will make such contributions.
That was one of the recommendations in a report by a fact finder appointed by the State Employment Relations Board, and discussed by trustees during a special meeting Sunday.
Trustee Kathy Miller voted in favor of accepting the report; Trustee Larry Moliterno voted to reject it. Abstaining was Trustee Robyn Gallitto, whose former husband served on the police department when the contract was in effect.
Because trustees split on their vote, it will be as if no action had been taken, and the report will be approved as is. It will be implemented into a collective bargaining agreement and go into effect Tuesday, explained Jason R. Loree, township administrator.
The agreement between the township and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association also means a 13 percent pay differential between sergeants and senior patrol officers, something the fact finder recommended should be preserved.
The union represents 17 rank officers —two captains, four lieutenants and 11 sergeants. Rank officers are paid on a wage differential based on the highest wage given to a patrol officer.
Since September 2005, rank officers have been without a contract, and the fact finder recommended the new pact run through late this year. The township had wanted a new contract to run three years from the date of approval.
Miller said that the union’s contributing to health care costs, along with a reduced request from a 15 percent differential to 13 percent, will save the township thousands of dollars.
“With the support of the men and women who serve in our police department and their understanding of our financial situation, I am confident that we are embarking on a new and cooperative way of working together for the benefit of our community,” Miller said in an e-mail.
Miller said she feels the report can provide a road map for future negotiations with both police unions, the other representing patrol officers, adding that the township had an $8 million inheritance tax when the contract with rank officers began.
Moliterno said he was concerned about the township’s finances and its ability to take on extra costs but that it‘s “critical to have meaningful talks and relations with the unions.”
Capt. Jack Nichols said he wishes these negotiations had taken place before the last contract expired and before the township’s financial situation worsened. Nichols added that he feels it’s imperative that union members and township officials begin negotiations regarding the rank officers’ next pact as soon as possible.
Many police departments operate with a 15 percent differential, and the fact that Boardman’s is 2 percent lower is a victory for township officials, he said.