Campbell council reviews police cruiser acquisition, employee raises

January 7, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

CAMPBELL

City council reviewed several pieces of pending legislation Wednesday evening during the first regular meeting of 2016. One authorizes the city to buy a 2014 Dodge Charger police cruiser from Key Auto Group for no more than $25,000. The cost will be paid through a state grant.

Additionally, council reviewed raises of 3 percent each for three non-unionized city employees – clerk of council, the water-department account clerk and the water-department computer operator. The raises will cost the city $3,000 a year over three years, Finance Director Michael Evanson said.

Council also considered an ordinance to buy a washer-dryer for the police and fire departments for no more than $15,000. The cost is high because laundering fire department uniforms requires specialty equipment, Council President George Levendis said.

The lawmakers voted to send all three pieces of legislation to a third reading, so a vote on passage will take place at the next meeting.

In other business, council introduced several ordinances and sent them to a second reading, including one to place liens on properties for grass-cutting and delinquent water bills and one authorizing the board of control to advertise for bids for grass-cutting services at Roosevelt Park.

A set of standards for drivers of city-owned vehicles or personal vehicles while on city business was introduced. Levendis said the driving policy arose in part for insurance reasons. Among other requirements, the policy mandates that GPS systems be installed in all city vehicles to monitor driver safety and fuel efficiency.

Finally, council moved to accept a 2016 insurance premium of $84,364 from Wells Fargo Insurance in addition to a $1,245 crime rider from Cincinnati Insurance. The premium represents the fourth year of a five-year contract that the city entered into in 2013.

Council’s next regular meeting will be at 7:30 p.. Wednesday.

The charter review commission, in which citizen appointees review the city’s governing laws, will meet today at 7 p.m. in city hall, 351 Tenney Avenue.

Both meetings are open to the public.