Police contract negotiations in arbitration; what would the taxpayer consider a fair

[Lee Chowaniec]

The Lancaster police contract expired on 12-31-12. The police and town could not get together to resolve differences in all that time and the matter is now before an arbitrator who it is predicted will render a determination soon. It has been no secret that the police union has been reticent in agreeing to a town request that employees start contributing to their health insurance. As that has not been agreed upon the town has taken the position of no salary increases. And that stalemate has continued to this date.

Council candidate Matt Walter has posted that the contract negotiations have lasted too long and that the police deserve a fair contract. Well, what should be considered a fair contract to the taxpaying residents when:

• No police department employee contributes to his or her health insurance plan; a plan that costs the town $19,300 for a family plan and $12,000 for an individual. This is a plan that also covers dental and vision coverage and has a low co-pay formula. This is a plan many residents in the town don’t have themselves but are compelled to pay for.
Since the last police contract expired in 2012, health care premium costs have increased by $95,000 (from $170,000 to $265,000).

• Depending on Tier structure, the town contributes 29% of a police officer’s salary toward the NYS Retirement Fund. Although wages have not increased over the past 3+ years, the town is contributing $165,000 toward this fund than in 2012.

• In the police department there are 49 sworn officers, 11 dispatch personnel, a clerk typist, a clerk stenographer and crossing guards. In total they earn $4.52 million. Every 1% in salary increase adds $45,200 to the budget.

• Total cost for health coverage in 2015 = $320,000. Every 1% contribution to health coverage would decrease the budget by $3,200.

• A 10% contribution to the health insurance program would not even compensate for a 1% increase in salary.

And when the taxpayer considers

The $10 million bonded for and the outstanding interest rate that will have to paid out on that loan over 30 years to build a new police/courts building and shooting range

All the perks/stipends the police receive:

Longevity Pay - 83,750

Police drive each other to and from work

.109 Court Pay
.110 Shift Command Pay
.111 Education Incentive Pay
.113 Shift Command Pay - Detectives
.115 Retirement & Other Sell Backs
.116 Shift Equalization Pay
.117 Clothing Allowance - Police
.147 Clothing Allowance - Dispatchers
.118 Field Training Officer Pay0
.119 Briefing Pay - Dispatchers
.121 Briefing Pay - Police
.122 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Police
.123 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Dispatch
.124 Holiday Bonus Pay - Police
.125 Holiday Bonus Pay - Dispatch
.127 PSD Trainer Pay
.134 FLSA Bonus Overtime
.137 Provision for 2nd & 3rd Shift Differential
.141 EMT Certification
142 CFR/Defibrillation

he or she has to hope the town (taxpayer) doesn’t get the short end of the stick; that there is an outcome that favors the best interests of the community as a whole.

[KevinL]

Our veterans should be treated as well as our Lancaster Police Department.

It is about time our public service employees help pay for their own health care. As a teamster, I have outstanding health care and do pay towards it. The difference is, private sector unions do not feed off the taxpayer.

[warrior]

The Lancaster police are over paid, to many benefits,and way to much paid vacation. It could use some trimming.

[WNYresident]

Which political party has controlled your town and negotiated the labor contracts?

[warrior]

Democrats, tax and spend regardless if its feasible,or a waste of tax payers dollars.

[4248]

Council member Wanna be Matt Walters(Maddmatt) has so far shown his whole agenda is status quo tax and spend.

He is anti time clocks for tax funded employees
- he is pro fluff loaded employee contracts
- so wheres the new direction he talks about ?

The past Town Supervisor and most current Town Council Men have given yearly perks during all past negotiations(if that word even applies) !

The Party holds all the cards - their people control every aspect of our Towns spending and yearly budgets. The finance minister figures out what the Town can afford to spend - the Unions (run by the Party) knows exactly whats in the tax funded pot.

So where does negotiations come in - at election time
- you want their support/vote
- you support/pay them.

"Tax Funded Dog and Pony Show"



Police drive each other to and from work

.109 Court Pay
.110 Shift Command Pay
.111 Education Incentive Pay
.113 Shift Command Pay - Detectives
.115 Retirement & Other Sell Backs
.116 Shift Equalization Pay
.117 Clothing Allowance - Police
.147 Clothing Allowance - Dispatchers
.118 Field Training Officer Pay0
.119 Briefing Pay - Dispatchers
.121 Briefing Pay - Police
.122 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Police
.123 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Dispatch
.124 Holiday Bonus Pay - Police
.125 Holiday Bonus Pay - Dispatch
.127 PSD Trainer Pay
.134 FLSA Bonus Overtime
.137 Provision for 2nd & 3rd Shift Differential
.141 EMT Certification
142 CFR/Defibrillation

[warrior]

Very good points 4248 it needs to stop

[WNYresident]

Council member Wanna be Matt Walters(Maddmatt) has so far shown his whole agenda is status quo tax and spend.

He is anti time clocks for tax funded employees
- he is pro fluff loaded employee contracts
- so wheres the new direction he talks about ?

The past Town Supervisor and most current Town Council Men have given yearly perks during all past negotiations(if that word even applies) !

The Party holds all the cards - their people control every aspect of our Towns spending and yearly budgets. The finance minister figures out what the Town can afford to spend - the Unions (run by the Party) knows exactly whats in the tax funded pot.

MaddMatt is this true?

[warrior]

The manager of oogie games? Great candidate, great democrat

[shortstuff]

The Lancaster police contract expired on 12-31-12. The police and town could not get together to resolve differences in all that time and the matter is now before an arbitrator who it is predicted will render a determination soon. It has been no secret that the police union has been reticent in agreeing to a town request that employees start contributing to their health insurance. As that has not been agreed upon the town has taken the position of no salary increases. And that stalemate has continued to this date.

Council candidate Matt Walter has posted that the contract negotiations have lasted too long and that the police deserve a fair contract. Well, what should be considered a fair contract to the taxpaying residents when:

• No police department employee contributes to his or her health insurance plan; a plan that costs the town $19,300 for a family plan and $12,000 for an individual. This is a plan that also covers dental and vision coverage and has a low co-pay formula. This is a plan many residents in the town don’t have themselves but are compelled to pay for.
Since the last police contract expired in 2012, health care premium costs have increased by $95,000 (from $170,000 to $265,000).

• Depending on Tier structure, the town contributes 29% of a police officer’s salary toward the NYS Retirement Fund. Although wages have not increased over the past 3+ years, the town is contributing $165,000 toward this fund than in 2012.

• In the police department there are 49 sworn officers, 11 dispatch personnel, a clerk typist, a clerk stenographer and crossing guards. In total they earn $4.52 million. Every 1% in salary increase adds $45,200 to the budget.

• Total cost for health coverage in 2015 = $320,000. Every 1% contribution to health coverage would decrease the budget by $3,200.

• A 10% contribution to the health insurance program would not even compensate for a 1% increase in salary.

And when the taxpayer considers

The $10 million bonded for and the outstanding interest rate that will have to paid out on that loan over 30 years to build a new police/courts building and shooting range

All the perks/stipends the police receive:

Longevity Pay - 83,750

Police drive each other to and from work

.109 Court Pay
.110 Shift Command Pay
.111 Education Incentive Pay
.113 Shift Command Pay - Detectives
.115 Retirement & Other Sell Backs
.116 Shift Equalization Pay
.117 Clothing Allowance - Police
.147 Clothing Allowance - Dispatchers
.118 Field Training Officer Pay0
.119 Briefing Pay - Dispatchers
.121 Briefing Pay - Police
.122 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Police
.123 Holiday/Comp Time/PL Sell Back - Dispatch
.124 Holiday Bonus Pay - Police
.125 Holiday Bonus Pay - Dispatch
.127 PSD Trainer Pay
.134 FLSA Bonus Overtime
.137 Provision for 2nd & 3rd Shift Differential
.141 EMT Certification
142 CFR/Defibrillation

he or she has to hope the town (taxpayer) doesn’t get the short end of the stick; that there is an outcome that favors the best interests of the community as a whole.

My disclaimer: The police department does a great job. The taxpayers pay them well to continue to do a great job. I as a taxpayer appreciates their efforts and time to keep us safe.

Reality often times - we have seen our officers with nothing to do, I believe that the down time they experience might be best served productively. I disagree with the practice of police driving each other to work, longevity pay, and police being paid to deliver the agenda's & communications to all town board members. There is much that could be restructured.

Matt Walters opinion is typical Democratic viewpoint(s)-spend our money no matter what and keep the status quo. He is being (although this is hearsay) reminded by the Democrats to continue mouthing their philosophy which is to "give them what they want" when we should actually be giving them what they "need."

[gorja]

Here's a former arbitration between the Town of Lancaster and the Cayuga Club regarding residency from 1997
http://www.perb.ny.gov/pdf/ia1997-8/ia96-017.pdf

[gorja]

If nothing else , they need to start contributing to their healthcare

[Lee Chowaniec]

My disclaimer: The police department does a great job. The taxpayers pay them well to continue to do a great job. I as a taxpayer appreciates their efforts and time to keep us safe.

Reality often times - we have seen our officers with nothing to do, I believe that the down time they experience might be best served productively. I disagree with the practice of police driving each other to work, longevity pay, and police being paid to deliver the agenda's & communications to all town board members. There is much that could be restructured.

Matt Walters opinion is typical Democratic viewpoint(s)-spend our money no matter what and keep the status quo. He is being (although this is hearsay) reminded by the Democrats to continue mouthing their philosophy which is to "give them what they want" when we should actually be giving them what they "need."

I would hope your use of the word disclaimer was not meant in some way to dispute what I wrote; to imply in some way that what I posted indicates that I don’t value our police department. I would take serious umbrage to that.

Had you lived in Lancaster in 2003 when the Town of Lancaster and Village of Lancaster police departments merged you would seen the likes of Henry Gull, Don Symer, Dan Beutler, Gary Howell, myself and others support the following:

• The merger itself. We did not favor having the Sheriff’s Department policing our streets. We supported the town and village having its own police force.

• Suggested the increase in police personnel that was being proposed by the town at the time of merger.

• Supported the building of a new build in 2003 and warned of the folly of using the suggested Colecraft Building and waste of resources. It took 11 years for the town to move the police from a decrepit building to decent quarters.

• Were incensed by the town’s manipulative approach to deny the building of a new build based on size comparison to the Colecraft Building – that was already purchased and where a bogus feasibility study was conducted to make the Village think otherwise. A 40,000 square foot new build could have been had for $5 million. Millions of dollars were wasted in the Colecraft Building project delay and we now have a 26,900 square foot new build for the police/courts and a shooting range in the former police garage.

I still support the town having its own police force. I clearly stated it is my opinion that it is time for the police to start contributing to their health insurance. Not doing so negates giving them any compensation. They have received so much in other ways that makes their job reasonably compensated. The taxpayers need a break as well.

The police budget in 2004 was $6 million. Today it is $9.4 million; 40% of the town’s General Fund. The town presently gets from the Village the lion’s share of its sales tax. That ends in 2033. It now is approaching $2 mil. What then?

[nogods]

Which political party has controlled your town and negotiated the labor contracts?

The one the majority of voters have selected. You just hate that voting thing don't you.

[shortstuff]

It is meant, when a disclaimer is stated-directed to the person stating it's a disclaimer which would be myself. Thinking I meant to indicate you is strange.