Brecksville Council Approves New Police Contracts and Payroll Range Update

Brecksville City Council moved through a full slate of legislation during its July 7 meeting, approving new three year contracts for police patrolmen and sergeants, adjusting pay ranges for nonunion city employees and awarding a grant to a local prevention agency. New Police Contracts Take Effect Council passed Ordinance 5874 and Ordinance 5875, authorizing three year collective bargaining agreements between the city and the Ohio Patrolman’s Benevolent Association covering Brecksville police patrolmen and sergeants. Both measures cleared by a vote of 7 to 0. Council President Dominic Caruso read a statement from Mayor Daryl Kingston into the record before the votes. Kingston said the city had finalized negotiations with the patrolman’s association and the fire union, covering all three of Brecksville’s bargaining units. The mayor recommended that the same rate increases negotiated with those units also extend to the city’s nonunion full time employees, a practice council members said has been standard for years. “Brecksville’s employees are the backbone of our community,” Kingston’s statement read. “From first responders to civil employees to administrative staff, their expertise and dedication directly shapes the quality of life that our residents expect.” The new agreements also add contract language addressing the so called 27th pay period, a payroll quirk that surfaces roughly once every 11 years because of how a two week pay cycle lines up with the calendar. Officials explained the extra pay period does not add hours to an employee’s work year. It simply shifts when wages land on the calendar, producing what several council members described as a one time bonus rather than a raise. Payroll Ordinance Adjusts Compensation Ranges Council also approved Ordinance 5873, amending Payroll Ordinance 5839 to raise compensation ranges for full time employees who are not part of a bargaining unit. Finance officials said the change was needed to keep those employees from bumping against salary ceilings once the negotiated raises take effect. Officials stressed the ordinance changes pay ranges only. Actual raises for nonunion staff remain a decision for the mayor. Council Member Dan Bender and Council Member Ann Koepke recused themselves from the discussion and vote due to family conflicts. The ordinance passed 5 to 0, with both members returning for the meeting’s remaining items. Finance Committee members also asked whether the added compensation had been accounted for in the current budget. Assistant Finance Director Taylor told council that any shortfall would be addressed through a future appropriations amendment, and that raises are typically not finalized in the budget until after negotiations conclude. Grant and Development Agreements Approved Council unanimously passed Resolution 5801, authorizing the mayor to provide a $10,000 grant to the Brecksville Broadview Heights Community Awareness and Prevention Association to help fund prevention and intervention services. The vote passed 7 to 0. Council also gave second and final approval to Ordinance 5872, authorizing a development and escrow agreement with VA Current LLC. City Engineer Jerry Wise told council the agreement protects the city as the developer completes water main work and replaces several thousand feet of sidewalk within city right of way. Council Member Bender and Council Member A.J. Ganim recused themselves due to business conflicts, and the measure passed 5 to 0. In the Buildings and Grounds Committee, council approved an Aquatic Maintenance Service agreement with Hastings Waterworks in the amount of $7,920 for pool maintenance and winter shutdown at the city pool. The agreement passed 7 to 0. Monthly Bills and Executive Session Council approved the monthly professional bills, including legal fees paid to Mansour Gavin LPA, the firm representing the city in its labor negotiations, for a total of $56,139.83. Council also convened an executive session to discuss the employment of a public employee. The session ran nearly an hour before council returned to open session to continue its agenda. Committee and Board Updates Purchasing Director Monica Bartkiewicz told council a public hearing on the 2027 Community Development Supplemental Grant would be held before the Planning Commission at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, July 9. She said the city received notice of the grant later than usual this year, compressing the timeline for scheduling the hearing. The Board of Zoning Appeals reported no items for council and will meet next on July 13. The Planning Commission has nothing pending for council and meets Thursday, July 9, at 7 p.m. The Human Services Advisory Board will meet at 3 p.m. on July 14. Mayor Highlights Sherwin Williams Opening With Mayor Kingston absent, Fire Chief Mark Bender delivered brief remarks on the administration’s behalf. He described the ribbon cutting held earl