Council considers 2 percent raise for city police
- Fraternal Order of Police Local 127 sought 3 percent increases in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
- The city of Newark proposed raises of 0.5 percent each year of the three-year contract.
NEWARK - The City Council meets Friday night to consider a fact-finder's recommendation to increase the salaries of Newark police officers and sergeants by 2 percent in each year of a three-year contract.
The Fraternal Order of Police Local 127 voted Thursday to accept the fact-finder's recommendation. The council will make its decision at a special 5:30 p.m. meeting Friday in council chambers, 40 W. Main St.
The city proposed raises of 0.5 percent each year, while Fraternal Order of Police Local 127 sought a 3 percent increase in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Fact-finder Harry Graham recommended 2 percent each year in his report, signed Tuesday.
Detective Sgt. Scott Snow, supervisor coordinator for the union and lead negotiator, said: "It's actually an insult to be offered 0.5 percent."
City Council President Don Ellington said the 10-member council must have six votes against the fact-finder's recommendation to reject the report and move to binding arbitration. Ellington said council members Curtis Johnson and Ryan Bubb are not expected to be able to attend the meeting, which must occur within seven days of the report.
"I don't think anybody thinks these folks don't deserve a raise," Ellington said. "It's just a matter of how we're going to pay for it."
Ellington said it would have been nice if the city administration would have given the council more notice so all members could attend. Johnson is in Illinois and will not return in time. Other council members will be unavailable next week so the Friday meeting was the best option, Ellington said.
"I had no idea until Monday night," Ellington said of the need to have a meeting within seven days.
There are two contracts, one for officers and one for sergeants. Snow said the rank-and-file officers voted 52-1 in favor of the contract, while the supervisors voted 10-1 for their contract.
If approved, the raise would be 2 percent each year for the officers and slightly more than 2 percent for the supervisors, who receive a shift differential 18 percent higher than the highest paid patrol officer, Snow said.
Snow said the union and city resolved 44 of 48 issues during negotiations, which began in August. The only unresolved issues were wages, longevity, vacation and insurance, but wages were the major unresolved issue, he said.
"This is what contract negotiations are all about," Snow said. "It reflects a high level of success that we were able to resolve 44 of 48 issues.
"I'm pleased we got some things corrected and the city got some things corrected they wanted. I hope (the council) looks at this for what it is and not some political statement."
The fact-finder's report stated the union argued the city could afford 3 percent wage increases because the year-end general fund balance increased from $1.8 million in 2011 to $2.4 million in 2015. And, the union stated, the city's general fund, rainy day fund and compensated absences fund combined for a true carryover of $3 million in 2015.
The city argued income tax collections declined after the Great Recession, with receipts in 2016 less than in 2008. The city said its general fund, business net profit tax, employer withholding tax, resident and nonresident individual net profit taxes have not grown significantly since 2008. The city's poverty rate increased to 22 percent in 2014, real incomes have declined and home values fallen, according to the city.
The fact-finder stated in the report the city has weathered the financial storm, as its credit rating of A+ attests. The report also states public sector settlements in Ohio are currently 2 percent and the city's proposed increases are "small indeed."
"The city has not demonstrated an inability to pay that would justify deviation from the current norm," Graham said in his report.
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
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Twitter: @kmallett1958
