Council passes 2010 city salaries, police contract

Resident questions adding assistant manager job

By ASHLEY LUTHERN

aluthern@vindy.com

CANFIELD

City Council approved salaries and benefits for city employees and a contract between the city and police officers at its Dec. 2 meeting.

In 2010, full-time administrative employees will receive annual salaries ranging from about $55,000 to $70,000, depending on the position. Full-time hourly city employees will have salaries from about $20,000 to $30,000, while part-time employees will have a minimum wage of $16.50 per hour.

This meeting was the first for newly hired City Manager Joseph Warino, a former Mahoning County Sanitary Engineer. Warino officially became the city manager on Dec. 1, and has a two-year contract with an annual salary of $70,000.

Council also approved the salary for a new position, assistant city manager, at $35 per hour. Charles Tieche, Canfield city manager from 1991 until December, has been named the assistant city manager. His work schedule was defined as as-needed with no minimum or maximum set on the number of hours he would work.

When council heard comments from the community, Frank Micchia of Glenview Road expressed concern about the creation of a new assistant manager position.

“We went two-and-a-half years without a city manager and now we’re hiring an assistant city manager, too,” Micchia said. “How is that needed?”

Council President Andrew Skrobola said that the position is only temporary.

“This is necessary for a smooth transition from one (manager) to another,” Skrobola said.

City Atty. Mark Fortunato added that while the position will remain on the books until another ordinance repeals it, the position doesn’t have to be filled.

The contract approved between the city and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which consists of police officers, dispatchers and sergeants, included a 1.75 percent wage increase in 2010 and a 2 percent increase in 2011. The base salary of a patrol officer, for example, is currently $42,345. In 2010, it will increase to $43,086, and in 2011, it will be $43,948.

A change in the law for sales and use of alcohol by minors was also approved by council.

The law now uses the word “negligently,” instead of “knowingly,” to describe providing alcohol to minors, Fortunato said.

A minor’s parent, legal guardian or spouse who is older than 21 may still give alcohol to the minor, as long as they are present during the minor’s use of the substance.