Boardman trustees reviewing finances after firefighter raises

BOARDMAN

Township trustees are more optimistic about the township’s financial situation going into the new year than they were previously, they say.

After a conciliator ruled in November that the township must give pay raises to firefighters, trustees initially expressed concern about the township’s ability to afford that.

“We need to find out where we’re going to come up with those dollars,” Trustee Tom Costello said at the time. “We’re hoping it doesn’t cost people, but that’s what we’re going to have to take a look at.”

Trustees and the township administration are not currently considering layoffs, however, Trustee Larry Moliterno said Wednesday.

“I don’t think we’re as far off as we thought we were going to be. I think we’re going to be fine with it,” he said. “We’re certainly not going to panic about it.”

The three-year contract adopted after the conciliator’s report, retroactive to March 2014, requires the township to give firefighters a wage increase of $1,250 per year for each of the contract years.

Read more about the finances in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.