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Lansford council close to approving police contract

Lansford Borough Council is planning a special meeting to approve a contract with its police officers.

By approving the new contract, they would avoid having to go to arbitration.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Council voted 4-2 last week to approve the five-year contract, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018.

The borough’s officers have been working under the old contract since that date.

However council President Jared Soto said the vote was not valid because he had misstated details to council about the proposed insurance plan before they voted on the contract.

“After confirming with the police, (it) would change the dynamic of what was agreed upon,” Soto said.

Following the vote that was nullified, Councilman Bob Silver said he opposed the contract because he would like to see police help cover an increasing bill for health insurance coverage.

Silver said that the officers’ share, referred to as a copay, is the same as it was when it was put in place in the previous contract. That contract ran from Jan. 1, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2017.

Since then, the cost of insurance has increased by 25 percent, with the borough’s taxpayers footing the bill, Silver said.

He said he’s more concerned that the copay will be the same until this contract expires in five years.

“It’s just going to go up and up and the copays are the same amount. Five years from now as they were five years previously. For 10 years, it’s the exact same copay,” Silver said.

Councilman Matt Walsh said he voted in favor of the contract because he is concerned that the borough, and its taxpayers, could wind up paying more if the contract does go to arbitration. He pointed out that the borough’s nonuniform employees have a lower copay, which could be used as evidence by the police union.

“We could lose money in arbitration or have to give into more of their demands, I just think this is the smarter route for the borough,” Walsh said.

Council also agreed at last week’s meeting to contact an attorney recommended by Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs to discuss arbitration.

Councilman John Turcmanovich said council solicitor Michael Greek has to recuse himself from arbitration because he also serves as an assistant district attorney.