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Dunmore Council adopts police DROP, updates fire inspector qualifications and appoints part‑time firefighter
Summary
Dunmore Borough Council on July 8 adopted Ordinance 3 (police DROP), Ordinance 4 (amending fire civil‑service testing qualifications), and appointed Robert Bock as a part‑time firefighter; Council and management described the DROP as an 18‑month compromise and changed fire‑inspector testing to require five years of continuous Dunmore fire service.
Dunmore Borough Council adopted two ordinances and appointed a new part‑time firefighter at its July 8 meeting.
Council voted to adopt Ordinance 3 of 2024, implementing a deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for the police department that Manager Greg Wolff said arose from a recent arbitration award. Wolff said an actuarial study was completed and the ordinance sets an 18‑month DROP that sunsets on Dec. 31, 2026. "With any change to pension, you need an actuarial study done," Wolff said, adding the 18‑month term was a compromise from the department’s three‑year request. Councilmember Michael Dempsey moved the measure and it passed with Councilmembers present voting in favor.
Council also adopted Ordinance 4 of 2024 to amend the Civil Service Commission’s rules on fire inspector qualifications. Wolff said the prior testing rules created a ‘‘catch‑22’’ where applicants could not obtain required training without appointment. Under the amended standard, candidates who wish to test for fire inspector must have five years of continuous fire service as Dunmore Borough firefighters. Wolff said there is no fire inspector currently and the Borough will schedule testing under the revised rules.
Separately, Council appointed Robert Bock as a part‑time (per‑diem) firefighter. Wolff described part‑time hires as used on an as‑needed basis and not full‑time union positions; Chief DeNaples is responsible for filling open shifts from that pool.
The ordinances and appointment were presented as part of routine municipal business; Council did not record substantive amendment language beyond the qualification change and the DROP sunset provisions. No votes against these measures were recorded at the meeting.
The next procedural step for the civil‑service change is scheduling testing; Wolff said the Borough will test for the fire‑inspector position under the new rule. The DROP ordinance takes effect according to the ordinance text and the pension statute requirements noted by management.
