Council discusses, approves hiring police support specialist

The Lorain Police Department will hire a new support specialist to manage the police car fleet and other duties to support local law enforcement.

But the request prompted some no votes from Lorain City Council members who said they supported the department and the position.

But they did not agree with the timing because the city of Lorain has been under a hiring freeze during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

On June 15, Council voted 9-2 to approve hiring a police support specialist, as requested by police Chief James McCann.

The position is expected to cost $50,000 to $60,000, according to the city legislation.

The job is needed because “there’s a couple things we’ve been lacking in LPD,” McCann said.

Police needs

In the last six months of learning the job, McCann said the Police Department has more than 100 marked and unmarked cars, but no one managing that fleet.

Meanwhile, police Capt. Michael Failing, third in the police command staff, and patrol officers in charge drive cars to the city garage at the Public Property Department.

Failing also collects bills from dealers, the chief said.

“We’ve not had a fleet manager in years and years and years,” McCann said. “It’s part of the problem that our fleet has gone to heck in a matter of five years.

“So, this is a position that’s really needed.”

The department also needs a staff member who can commit time to pursuing grant funding, McCann said.

Councilwoman-at-Large Mary Springowski said McCann and the department scored $600,000 in grants for police work this year.

Council has emphasized the need for grant funding and Lorain police could get even more with a staff member dedicated to that, the chief said.

The position will take about $79,343 to $91,138 a year, according to city figures.

The position is not bound by union contract and would be one of the first laid off if budget cuts were necessary, McCann said.

The chief also discussed payroll and overtime, unfilled jobs within the police department budget and grant money that will pay for more officer overtime.

Auditor responds

City Auditor Karen Shawver countered that the police department will spend $50,000 on unbudgeted pay increases and will need money — up to $700,000 — to match grant funding for a three-year grant.

This year, the department has had greater than expected retirement costs, Shawver said, with $162,000 budgeted ballooning to more than $300,000.

She said the city must be cautious to get through the end of the year within the budget.

Police have come up with some savings within the ranks, but the entire city budget is a moving target with financial projections changing daily due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve never been through a pandemic before,” Shawver said. “Hopefully, we are over a pandemic soon because it’s very difficult.

“Things change day in and day out. I just caution you that we need to be careful of our dollars to that we get through the end of the year within our budget.”

Council reaction

Ward 4 Councilman Greg Argenti said he usually supports Shawver’s recommendations as the city’s chief financial officer.

But in this instance, Argenti said he would deviate from that.

“We have a significant investment in new vehicles in our fleet,” he said. “Proper management and maintenance of those is really critical.”

Ward 8 Councilman Joshua Thornsberry and Ward 6 Councilman Rey Carrion said they supported the police 100 percent, but could not approve the position right now due to the city’s financial circumstances.

Thornsberry said making an exception to the hiring freeze would set a terrible precedent for other city departments.

He cited examples of volunteers mowing grass at Oakwood Park and council turning down a request by the law department for more money for pay raises for city lawyers.

Praising the police department without funding police also would send a terrible message to officers, Carrion said.

He suggested using committee discussion to make fact-based decisions because council must serve as financial stewards for the city.

Springowski noted police officers and firefighters were not able to participate in the work furlough program that other municipal workers used to help save money in the city budget.

Meanwhile, the city faces a safety issue because the police department is understaffed even as Lorain needs more officers on the street, she said.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Beth Henley and Councilmanat-Large Mitch Fallis added questions and comments.

Fallis noted council must be mindful of resources, and having denied raises for the police department, the decision was a struggle.

But the position will have the ability to generate money, Fallis said.

Springowski, Fallis, Henley, Argenti and Ward 2 Councilman Rob McFarland, Ward 3 Councilwoman Pamela Carter, Ward 5 Councilwoman JoAnne Moon, Ward 7 Councilman Cory Shawver and Councilman-at-Large Tony Dimacchia voted for the police position.

Thornsberry and Carrion dissented.