Staff report

LIBERTY

Union talks with three departments should be winding down soon, said Liberty Township Administrator Pat Ungaro.

“We’re real close on the fire department now,” and setting up a meeting next week with police, Ungaro said Friday.

Talks began with police, fire and road department employees several months ago.

The three unions are bargaining for three-year contracts.

Police, represented by the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, now have a wage range of $14.98 per hour for a probationary officer to $24.92 in step four of the contract, according to information with the State Employment Relations Board. There are 12 patrol officers, Ungaro said. Captains and lieutenants are in a different bargaining unit.

In the fire department, represented by the International Association of Firefighters, a starting firefighter makes $13.46 per hour. The wage range goes up to $24.54 for a captain/paramedic.

There are 14 full-timers in the department, Ungaro said.

There are five employees in the road department, which is represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The pay ranges from $17.24 for a laborer to $21.34 for a working foreman.

Ungaro said the township hopes to finalize the contracts by the end of next week.

“I’m pretty optimistic,” he said. “We’re close to finalizing everything.” He said the unions have asked for raises, though he would not say how much.

“We’re conservative and sensitive to excessive pay raises,” he said. “Everybody’s pretty reasonable.”