After months of negotiation and arbitration looming, the Tyrone Borough Council ratified a contract with the union representing its police.
The vote of council was unanimous.
The contract runs through December 31, 2007 and calls for a policy that no full-time police officers shall be laid-off for economic reasons until the expiration of the contract.
In the contract the borough will maintain for full-time officers and their dependents medical and hospitalization insurance, prescription drug coverage, vision plan and dental coverage with the premiums paid by the borough.
The borough will make a one-time payment of $10,000 to officers Greg Ray and Thomas Goodfellow as a buy out and full release of any and all claims for any post-retirement and/or post-employment health care coverage.
The borough will maintain the sole responsibility to include but not limited to the hiring of employees, the advancement of full-time police officers to higher ranks, the determination of the number of police officers retained in employment, scheduling of officers, suspension, demotion and discharge of officers and a maintenance of standards of quality and performance.
One of the original demands of the police union was more full-time officers.
Though not in the agreement, Borough Councilman Jeffrey Watson said that a good faith measure was put into place.
“This contract had a lot of give and take into it,” said Watson. “The officers gave up a lot in benefits and negotiations were intense for a while. Thankfully we hammered out a final deal. The contract doesn’t specify the number of full-time officers that should be in place, but as a good faith measure, the borough has agreed to hire one full-time officer by the end of the year.”
Tyrone Borough Police Chief Joe Beachem is happy that an agreement was reached.
“I am glad that things are settled,” said the chief. “One more full-time officer will help us with continuity. “
That was one of the goals in this contract according to Watson.
“Our goal was to increase continuity,” said the councilman. “There are times in which a part-time officer may not see a full-time officer for three to four weeks. This will be an increased benefit of service to the community.”
The current maximum hourly rate for a patrol officer in 2002 was $16.11 per hour. Under the terms of the new contract, there will be three percent yearly increases through 2007.
As Mayor Pat Stoner walked to the Municipal Building today, she smiled and said, “I’m just happy to have a police contract signed.”
The new officer that will be hired by the end of the year will be hired according to the Civil Service Commission.
The contract was signed by union officials on Tuesday and by borough officials this morning.
