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Campbell cops get new pact
By jeanne starmack
campbell
A new two-year police contract gives raises to six police officers and goes into effect immediately, though council members are asking why they didn’t get the chance to approve it.
The raises will cost the city $12,500 a year in wages, said Finance Director Sherman Miles. He said Medicare and workers’ compensation benefits will increase for the officers too, but he hasn’t figured out yet by how much.
“It’s gotta be approved by us,” said Council President William VanSuch. “If we have to go to court again, that’s what we’ll do.”
Council members said it’s been past practice that the council approves contract proposals.
The wage issue was settled by a conciliator from the State Employment Relations Board. The FOP called in the conciliator, who sided with the union. The contract was signed by Mayor George Krinos and Police Chief Gus Sarigianopoulos on July 27.
Krinos said he was under the impression that the conciliator’s word is final. He said the conciliator told him the contract should go into effect immediately.
Miles told council at its Wednesday caucus meeting that there is no money appropriated for the pay raises. The city is also prohibited from giving raises under its latest financial recovery plan. The state requires the city to have the plan while it is in fiscal emergency.
The Ohio Revised Code says a conciliator’s order is to be effective at the beginning of the next fiscal year, Miles said.
Miles also said he is concerned about a provision in the contract that allows the mayor to have the final say over how many police officers can be hired. The city’s charter gives council that authority.
Miles said he intends to check with the city’s law director about whether council should have been allowed to vote on the contract.
The contract takes away a two-tier system for the city’s 12 police officers. It brings the six officers on the lower tier up to the higher one. The officers already on the higher tier don’t get raises.
For all officers under the new contract, annual salaries are $40,045 for detective sergeant; $38,272 for sergeant; $35,620 for a senior patrol officer; $34,580 for a patrol officer; and $30,080 for a cadet.