Boardman trustees call 2 mechanics back to work

The administrator said the move will save money.

BOARDMAN — Two of the township’s three mechanics are expected to return to work Monday.

By a 2-0 vote, trustees decided Friday to bring the two men, Mike Carkido and Keith Mead, back to work. Trustee Kathy Miller was out of town and didn’t attend the Friday afternoon meeting.

The mechanics were among 42 full- and part-time employees laid off last month because of the township’s budget shortfall.

The mechanics are part of the road department and last week, trustees approved a three year pact with the union that represents the road department workers. The union had previously approved the contract.

Among provisions in that agreement was a three-year wage freeze and creation of a subclassification for the mechanics. The mechanics are near the bottom of the road union’s seniority list, but the subclassification enables them to return to work.

“Bringing them back is actually going to save the township money,” Administrator Jason Loree said.

Carkido works on the police fleet as well as cars used by other departments. Mead works on the diesel fleet which includes road department and fire trucks, Loree said.

Without the mechanics, the work had to be done at area dealerships.

Loree estimated that the average cost for work done at dealership at $75 per hour. Including salary and benefits, the mechanics earn about $36 per hour, he said.

By having Carkido, rather than a mechanic at a dealership work on a police vehicle, it eliminates the need to remove equipment and potentially sensitive information from the cars, the administrator said. Township employees must successfully complete background checks.

Depending on future needs, trustees may later bring back the third mechanic on a full- or part-time basis, Loree said.