Union City council questions adding full‑time officer as stormwater costs weigh on budget

Union City Borough councilors on July 23 discussed but did not adopt hiring a new full‑time police officer, with budgetary concerns tied to stormwater repairs cited as a central reason for hesitation.

Mayor Robert Wolf asked council for clarity on the failed motion to hire, saying the borough "owe[s] the candidate an explanation for having him go through all this testing and evaluations" and noting the candidate "would rather be in a smaller department vs a large one." Wolf said both he and the chief see a want and need for another full‑time officer.

Councilor Melissa Winkler said she was not aware the borough was pursuing another hire and expressed concern about the costs associated with recent stormwater issues. Councilor James Kerns echoed the concern, saying the decision not to hire was driven more by pending stormwater repairs and unexpected costs than by the candidate’s qualifications.

During earlier public comments, Jeremy Sterling of Centerville questioned the council about their decision not to hire another officer and what the next steps would be; council said the topic would be discussed later in the meeting. The minutes record the police chief provided a June 2024 report but do not record further action on hiring during the public meeting; the council later entered executive session on personnel and contracts with no recorded action.

The minutes do not record a final vote or a formal directive to pursue or abandon hiring; next steps appear to be follow‑up discussion and possible consultations with the chief and borough staff.