Commission ratifies new three-year police contract

The Longboat Key Town Commission ratified a three-year contract with its police department at its regular meeting Monday, Oct. 4.

The three-year deal, which officially began Oct. 1, gives the officers raises and cost-of-living allowances only if other town employees receive them and upholds the officers’ current wages. The town will take vacation time and sick time out of an officer’s final compensation package to calculate a final pension payout.

The town will leave the pension unchanged for officers currently on duty.

But, in return, the town reserves the right to modify the pension plan for new police officers.

Commissioner David Brenner told Town Manager Bruce St. Denis Monday night that he recommends the town begin a discussion about a new pension for new hires.

“I’m reminded that the chief is looking for two, new officers,” Brenner said. “When they come on board, they are subject to this new provision for a new pension plan.”

St. Denis also took the opportunity to thank police officers Dennis Silverio Jr. and Dean Greathouse for their willingness to work with the town to create a new contract.

“The police officers clearly had a willingness to work with the town and understood the town’s financial situation from the very beginning,” St. Denis said.

The new police contract doesn’t include provisions that will cost the town money, which has been the town’s stance with both departments for months.

The firefighters and the town are currently waiting for a special magistrate to make a recommendation on terms for a new contract. The firefighters told the magistrate last month the town has more than enough money to provide for wage and cost-of-living increases.

Also at its regular meeting, the commission:

Forwarded to its Monday, Nov. 1 regular meeting for second reading and public hearing:
• An ordinance that transfers $208,815.49 to the beach capital-projects fund, which will close a special revenue account that’s no longer needed.

• An ordinance that provides consistency for public-hearing notices and advertisements that deal with land-use matters.

• An ordinance that ensures the town’s elections schedule complies with new Legislature requirements.

Passed:
• A resolution that allows the town to pay $46,725 in unanticipated Islandside public-hearing expenses by using commission contingency funds.

• A resolution that adopts the current version of the Sarasota County Local Mitigation Strategy, which enables the town to be eligible for post-disaster mitigation grant funds.

Approved:
• A 2010-11 holiday schedule for town employees.

Appointed:
• Gerald Feder to its Firefighter Retirement System Board of Trustees

• Steve Schield to its General Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees

• Franklin Cona to its Police Officer Retirement System Board of Trustees

• Joe Moccia to the Sarasota County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].