Union City Council hires part-time officer from civil-service list

Union City Borough Council voted unanimously Aug. 13 to hire civil-service candidate Kenneth Fye as a part-time police officer.

The hire followed discussion of department needs after an executive session on personnel and public remarks from Mayor Robert Wolf urging maintenance of a local police department. Borough Manager Cindy Wells said the 2024 budget allowed at least $33,560 for wages and benefits; she told council the final payroll cost will depend on how many hours the officer is assigned. Councilors cited part-time staffing as a way to expand coverage while limiting costs.

Police Chief David Pernice reviewed recent department activity in support of the staffing decision, reporting 269 calls from June 1 through Aug. 13 — about 3.63 calls per day — spanning vehicle pursuits, protection-from-abuse matters, warrants, domestic incidents, drug activity, homelessness, and recent suicide/mental-health-related calls. Pernice also noted that he and Officer Shelly attended an active-shooter training July 24–25 and that the UC Community Foundation awarded applications the department submitted for four tasers and expanded security cameras along North Main Street.

The motion to hire Fye was made by Councilor Joyce, seconded by Councilor Osborn, and carried unanimously. The minutes record the candidate’s preference for part-time work and that council and the mayor supported that option. The borough did not specify an expected weekly-hour total for the new hire in the minutes.

Council scheduled its next meeting for Aug. 27 and agreed to move regular meetings to the first and third Monday at 6:30 p.m. from September 2024 through April 2025.

The executive session and personnel matters that preceded the public actions were recorded in the minutes as occurring from 6:04–6:23 p.m.; a later executive session on personnel and contract matters ran from 7:06–7:52 p.m.