By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
The city of Groveport and its police patrol officers and detectives agreed on a new three year contract effective July 1, 2015.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, the officers will receive a 3 percent annual pay raise in each of the three years of the contract. The new pay ranges per year are: (year one) from $50,260 to 70,784; (year two) from $51,768 to 72,908; and (year three) from $53,321 to $75,095.
The officers also received an additional personal day bringing the total to two personal days per year.
The contract does not apply to the police department’s lieutenants, captains and chief, who are non-union. The contract also does not affect the department’s sergeants as they are covered under a different contract which is still being negotiated.
“I want to congratulate our negotiating team and the police for reaching a positive outcome with this agreement,” said Mayor Lance Westcamp.
Recreation center roof repair update
Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall said bids were opened June 30 for the Groveport Recreation Center roof repair project – which includes fixing the metal and membrane roof system over the indoor swimming pool area as well as the walls – with Meade Construction getting the bid. The total construction engineer’s estimate for the job was $1 million and Meade Construction’s low bid totaled $1.1 million.
“Their bid was slightly over the engineer’s estimate, but under the 10 percent overage maximum,” said Hall.
Hall said, because of the age of the building, it was recommended that exterior brick work also be done on the building.
“With this work needed for normal maintenance of the building, it was decided to perform this work at the same time because there would be a cost savings,” said Hall.
According to Hall, the repair work will begin in August with completion expected by mid-October. The repairs can be made without closing the recreation center.
Groveport Law Director Kevin Shannon said last December that corrosion and rust on the roof were first noted in 2011 and then monitored until 2014 when an inspection revealed more damage to the metal roof, insulation and walls in the pool area.
Shannon called the recreation center “a great city asset,” and added, “We are considering all available remedies for the situation, including potential legal remedies.”
The recreation center was built in 2004.
Financial audit of the city
Finance Director Jeff Green said the recently completed annual audit of the city’s finances conducted by Julian & Grube was, “Another great audit. It gets better every year and demonstrates the finance department’s level of trust with city council and the community. We’re an open book.”
Hall added, “It is a 100 percent clean audit.”
Citizens can review the full audit on the city’s website at www.groveport.org.
