Niles council rejects tentative pact with ranking cops

NILES

Any thoughts that voter approval Tuesday of a 0.5-percent income increase would lessen the pressure on this financially struggling city were quickly dashed tonight as council unanimously rejected a tentative agreement with the union representing ranking police officers.

Council turned down the agreement that had been on hold for several weeks following a lengthy executive session that included state auditor representatives.

“They told us the state auditor is very concerned with some of the language in the contracts,” said Councilman Ryan McNaughton, D-at large. “They just shared information with us, but they did not tell us what to do.”

Details of the tentative pact were not disclosed. But McNaughton said that pay increases contained in the agreement were not the stumbling blocks. He declined to identify the issues behind the rejection.

Jim Armeni, state auditor regional liaison who participated in the closed session, also would not comment beyond saying that he had “shared information” with council.

Residents and city employees who packed council chambers also demanded answers because of a broadcast interview given election night by Mayor Tom Scarnecchia. Some residents said the interview inferred that more general fund revenue would go toward the city’s struggling Wellness Center and voiced their anger about it.

As for revenue from the tax hike, which voters approved by a margin of nearly 69 percent, city Auditor Giovanne Merlo said collections will probably not begin until August.

Read more about the meeting and the concerns in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.