By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Groveport’s police sergeants and the city have come to a collective bargaining agreement.
The one year agreement is effective from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Under the agreement, according to Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall, the sergeants will receive step pay increases effective July 1, 2014 and Jan. 1, 2015. The increases will be 13 percent more than what the patrol officers’ receive. For example, a patrol officer at step 5 can earn $32.08 per hour, so a sergeant could earn $36.25 per hour.
The department’s three sergeants, who are members of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, were not included under the collective bargaining agreement the city reached in 2012 with the department’s 13 full time police patrol officers, who are members of the Fraternal Order of Police. Groveport police officers became eligible for collective bargaining once Groveport became a city following the 2010 U.S. Census.
Hall said a one year contract was negotiated with the sergeants so that the contract would expire at the same time the patrol officers’ three year contract expires.
“That way we can renegotiate the contracts at the same time,” said Hall.
The police chief, captain and lieutenants do not fall under the collective bargaining agreement.
Fire under investigation
Groveport Police Chief Ralph Portier said arson “has not been ruled out” in regards to a fire that occurred at the Senior Villas construction project on Hendron Road in Groveport. Groveport Police Officer Ryan Ripson spotted and reported the fire at around 11 p.m. on July 26. Portier said the dollar amount of the damage is undetermined and the investigation is ongoing.
Pesky mosquitos
Hall said the Franklin County Health Department has not found any evidence of West Nile virus in the mosquitos in Groveport.
“They are finding large numbers of mosquitos in some areas,” said Hall, who added the county tests mosquitos in Groveport weekly for West Nile virus.
She said the county no longer regularly fogs for mosquitos, unless evidence of West Nile virus is found. Instead, the county places pellets in standing water to kill mosquito larvae. She said the city also has the ability to place pellets in water to kill larvae.
For information on mosquito control, visit groveport.org and go to the Franklin County Health Department link.
