Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen alerted Canal Winchester Village Council to law enforcement contract increases for 2009.
At council’s Dec. 15 meeting, Phalen estimated three percent bargaining unit base pay raises, an increase in employer health insurance premium participation, and an estimated jump in fuel expenses to $3 per gallon.
Village Finance Director Nanisa Osborn said the costs reflect a monthly increase of $2,244.
According to statistics provided by the sheriff’s office, the village is serviced by three shifts per day with two deputies on duty at all times. The projected individual average full-time deputy cost is $66,759. Additional personnel include a full time sergeant-$85,358-and a full time dispatcher-$59,948-for an annual personnel cost of $812,904.
Ancillary direct support costs for fueling a pair of patrol cars, vehicle maintenance and repair, and miscellaneous costs bump the total amount to $828,604. Canal Winchester is billed monthly at $69,050.
Other Canal Winchester news
•Mayor Mike Ebert introduced correspondence he sent to the Ohio Board of Building Standards expressing interest in passing a local requirement pertaining to multi-unit family dwellings for the health, welfare, and safety of the public.
"The Village of Canal Winchester requests that the Board…determine whether a local regulation requiring that each unit of a two or three unit multi-family dwelling be separated from each adjacent unit by a three-hour fire resistance-rated wall assembly conflicts with the state residential building code," wrote Ebert.
•Ebert reported on a proposal by Bexley Mayor John Brennan to institute changes in the uniform trick-or-treat date for Columbus and neighboring suburbs on Oct. 31 (as it is now) except on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays when Beggars Night would take place on Thursday night.
Brennan said national statistics show a 30 percent increase in vandalism when trick-or-treat is held on a weekend and the weekend is also in competition with high school sports, Ohio State University games, family dinners, etc. Brennan acknowledged not everyone would comply, but Columbus and most suburbs could simplify matters by adopting the proposed schedule.
•Public Works Director Matt Peoples reported the village’s Gender Road/Winchester Boulevard Ohio Public Works Commission application did not garner enough points to be funded on the district level in the latest round of funding.
"We do have the opportunity for the statewide small government competition, but we would have to modify our project and application to meet their specific guidelines," said Peoples. "We are currently weighing our options."
