Pepper Pike Council adopts 2025 appropriations and several ordinances, including emergency police labor agreement

Pepper Pike City Council on Dec. 19 approved its Appropriations Ordinance for 2025 and carried several other routine and time-sensitive measures, including an emergency memorandum of agreement with the police union.

At the start of the meeting council quickly approved minutes from Nov. 20 and then moved to a second-reading ordinance updating the city—rosion and sediment-control rules to align with the city—PA permit and the updated manual. Don Shei, who described the changes as largely technical, told the council the revisions were "not a heavy lift" and were intended to make the city's manual consistent with state updates.

The council then addressed the 2025 appropriations. One member said he was prepared to approve the appropriation ordinance but had previously withheld support for the broader budget because the mayor's message did not include several charter-related bottom-line figures. The council member asked that the mayor add the plan—or surplus or deficit and the expected ending fund balances to the mayor's message before it is posted publicly. Council proceeded to suspend further readings and adopted the appropriations ordinance by roll call.

Council also moved to suspend the rules and adopt, by emergency vote, an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter a memorandum of agreement with the police union to allow lateral hires to enter at higher steps on the pay scale. Mayor and Chief Frasier said the change is designed to keep Pepper Pike competitive for three-year veteran lateral transfers; the chief said the arrangement "brings in a three-year veteran and puts them at top pay right from the start," allowing those officers to join the department quickly and complete local FTO training.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Nov. 20 minutes: Approved (roll call: Mr N: yes; Miss Goic: yes; Mr Lame: yes; Mr G: yes; Dr W: yes). - Ordinance updating erosion/sediment control ("202 2440"): Suspended further readings and adopted (roll call recorded affirmative votes by council). - Appropriations ordinance for 2025 (referred to as ordinance 43/202443): Suspended further readings and adopted (roll call recorded affirmative votes by council). A council member requested the mayor supplement his message with surplus/deficit and ending-fund-balance figures before posting. - Police union memorandum of agreement (ordinance 45): Suspended further readings and adopted as an emergency measure to permit lateral hires at higher pay steps, roll call affirmative.

What—omes next

Council directed staff to post the mayor nd budget materials after adding the requested bottom-line budget figures. The lateral-hire agreement takes effect under the emergency adoption; the chief and administration will proceed with implementation of the civil-service and testing requirements for prospective lateral officers.

Reporting note: Quotes and roll-call tallies are drawn from the council transcript. The council used members' recorded roll-call votes; the mayor's message and the charter references discussed at the meeting will be updated on the city website if and when the mayor posts the augmented message.