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General News Clarion prepares for police contract talks
CLARION - Clarion Borough will soon begin new labor
contract discussions with its unionized police officers. The borough’s
contract with the police officers expires Dec. 31. “We’re ready to open contract negotiations,” said
council member Rich Herman, chair of council’s public safety committee. “The
committee will discuss potential contract issues with (borough manager) Nancy
Freenock, (mayor) John Stroup and (police chief) Mark Hall and see where we need
to go from there.” Herman said the police officers negotiating team id lead by
officers William Scheckler and Richard Foust. “They’re getting their thought together and we’re
getting our thoughts together,” said Herman. Council member Earl Zerfoss asked why the council
representatives would meet with Hall. “His contact is based on the police officers’
contract,” said Zerfoss. “Does he then go to the police officers and meet
with them?” Herman said it is standard procedure to discuss possible
policy and work environment changes with the mayor and police chief before
beginning contract negotiations. “There might be changes we need to consider proposing
before we meet with the officers,” explained Herman. The borough employs seven full-time police officers. The existing contract provided the police officers with a
3.5 percent hourly wage increase for 2005, retroactive to Jan. 1. The 2005
increase took the officers’ hourly wage to approximately $16.31. The increase for 2006 and 2007 was 3.2 percent, an increase
in 2006 of approximately 52 cents per hour to $16.83 and an increase in 2007 of
approximately 54 cents per hour to $17.37. The increase in 2008 was 3.5 percent – about 60 cents –
taking the hourly wage to approximately $17.97 per hour.
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