Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety And Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council delays hire of full-time police officer amid stormwater cost concerns
Summary
Union City council discussed a candidate who completed testing and evaluations but did not approve hiring; council members cited recent stormwater repair costs as the primary reason for deferring the hire.
Council discussion on July 23 made clear the borough has a vetted candidate for a full-time police officer but decided not to proceed with hiring at this meeting. Mayor Robert Wolf said the borough owes the candidate an explanation after the candidate completed testing and evaluations and that the candidate indicated a preference for a smaller department and will pursue testing in the consortium.
Jeremy Sterling of Centerville asked why the council had decided not to hire another officer. Council members, including Councilor Melissa Winkler and Councilor James Kerns, said the decision reflected concerns about unexpected stormwater repairs and associated costs, not the candidate’s qualifications. The minutes do not record a subsequent formal motion to hire or any vote to approve a candidate.
The meeting later moved to approve a stormwater repair at Municipal Lot No. 1 and to authorize camera inspections of storm and sanitary pipes. An executive session on personnel and contracts followed the meeting; the minutes state no action was taken during that session.
No timelines for revisiting the hiring question were recorded in the minutes; council indicated the matter would be discussed later in the meeting and remains unresolved in the public record.
