City approves a collective bargaining agreement with police dispatchers

The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the city of Elyria dispatchers have a three-year collective bargaining agreement.

Council approved the legislation at its April 3 meeting.

The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (O.P.B.A) represents police departments and law enforcement agencies throughout the state including ranking officers and chiefs.

The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association exists to provide aid and protection to its members, for the education of its members, for the general welfare of its members and their families and for the betterment of police and people of their communities.

Elyria has a small number of police dispatchers, according to Safety Service Director Mary Siwierka.

“This collective bargaining covers approximately nine people,” Siwierka said.

“The finance director is well aware of the financial responsibility for this agreement.”

Ward 5 Councilman Marcus Madison questioned why Council was reviewing the agreement without the finance committee.

“Why are we considering this without the committee reviewing this information; why is it here?” Madison said.

Siwierka said the information Council was considering was just the final draft of the agreement.

The agreement had few changes such as the small increase to union time, she said.

In other Council news, members approved a fiveyear agreement with the Lorain County Board of Commissioners and Lorain County Emergency Management Agency for specialized rescue response in the county.

About five years ago, the county started a regional Hazmat team, according to fire Chief Richard Benton.

“With that team, every city, township and village would have two members from their department participate in the team,” Benton said.

Hazmat teams are personnel specially trained to handle dangerous goods, which include materials that are radioactive, flammable, explosive, corrosive, oxidizing, asphyxiating, biohazardous, toxic, pathogenic or allergenic.