Union City council hires Kenneth Fye as part‑time police officer

Union City Borough Council voted unanimously Aug. 13 to hire Kenneth Fye from the certified civil service list as a part‑time police officer.

The motion to hire Fye was made by Councilor Matt Joyce and seconded by Councilor Osborn; the motion carried without opposition. Mayor Robert Wolf had told the council he believed it was important to maintain a local police department and recommended hiring a part‑time officer to help preserve coverage while controlling costs.

Borough Manager Cindy Wells told council that the budget had allowed at least $33,560 for wages and benefits and that hiring a part‑time officer would be cheaper than a full‑time hire, with the final cost depending on the number of hours the officer works. Councilors Riley Cross and Matt Joyce both said a part‑time officer would reduce costs and provide additional coverage.

Police Chief David Pernice reviewed department activity since June 1, reporting 269 calls through Aug. 13 (about 3.63 calls per day) and noting some incidents—domestics, suicides, mental‑health responses, burglary and vandalism—can occupy an entire shift. Chief Pernice said he appreciated council’s approval of the part‑time hire.

Chief Pernice also briefed council on recent training and equipment grants: he attended Alert Active Shooter training July 24–25, and the Union City Community Foundation awarded funding for four tasers and for security cameras to expand coverage on North Main Street.

Next steps: the hire will proceed with onboarding from the certified list; council did not specify a start date in the public minutes.