2 cops add to captain ranks in Boardman
By Denise Dick
Boardman elevates veteran lieutenants
By DENISE DICK
BOARDMAN
Two veteran members of the township police force have been promoted, with two additional promotions expected next month.
Trustees this week promoted Lts. Donald Lamping and Donald Hawkins, hired in 1990 and 1984, respectively, to captain.
The promotions came after trustees and members of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the union representing police supervisors, signed a three-year pact. The contract, effective Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2011, calls for no pay increases.
“Basically, it’s in recognition of the current economic conditions both locally and on the national level,” said John Allsopp, co-director of OPBA. “We were willing to accept as many sacrifices as we did in recognition of that.”
The two promotions to captain leave two openings in the lieutenant ranks. Those are expected to be filled next month.
The supervisors agreed to reduce the union’s membership from 17 to 13. It’s a drop that corresponds to the decrease in the number of police officers in the department from 63 to 47, Allsopp said.
“We don’t know where the number is going to stop dwindling,” Allsopp said. “We keep making concessions and sacrifices, hoping that we’ll get the number of police officers replenished.”
Trustees have said they plan to hire two police officers per year beginning this year and continuing through 2014.
Jason Loree, township administrator, said the latest contract will help with the township’s financial difficulties.
“I think the rank did a great job with this contract and with helping us to control costs,” he said.
As part of the deal, those promoted will be paid the higher salaries beginning with the effective date of their respective promotions. That will save about $150,000, Loree said.
One captain spot has been vacant since Jack Nichols was appointed chief last September. The other vacancy occurred with the May 2008 retirement of Capt. Jerre Patterson.
Allsopp pointed out there’s additional savings because of the reduction of numbers and union members’ health-care contribution increase. The increase means that supervisors, who had been paying a capped 6 percent toward health-care costs, will pay 10 percent uncapped under the new pact.
“We also agree to participate and be part of an insurance committee,” Allsopp said.
The committee includes representatives of all the township’s unions and the administration. It will make recommendations regarding coverage and ways to reduce costs.
“Bringing down health-care costs benefits everyone. It benefits the taxpayers, it benefits us and it benefits the township,” he said.
Like the patrolmen’s union did last year, the rank union agreed to reduce from six to five the minimum manning per shift, the union co-director said.
It also implements a step-pay system within each rank position. Those already in the positions are grandfathered.
With the new agreement, the rate for an entry-level sergeant is $33.03 hourly. After one year, it increases to $33.33 per hour; after two years, it’s $33.63 per hour, and after three years, it increases to $33.94 per hour.
For lieutenant, the entry pay is $37.33 hourly; after one year, $37.67; after two years, $38.01; and after three years, $38.36.
An entry-level captain’s hourly pay would be $42.18, which would increase to $42.56 after a year, $42.95 after two years and $43.35 after three years.
Previously, the rate of pay was the same within a rank despite years on the job.
Supervisors also reduced from 11 to 10 the number of paid holidays.