By BETH SHILLER

Staff writer

HUBBARD — Loud and passionate Hubbard Township residents, and the flustered township trustees, generated a rowdy discussion over whether to dissolve the police department and let the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department take over.

“The purpose of this meeting is to take input from the citizens, and of other county taxpayers, so we can make a determination,” said Fred Hanley, trustee chairman. “I can give you a whole lot of details but that (police) contract has not been produced and signed yet. So don’t perceive it to be a done deal”

He added: “We do not want to leave our our community unprotected, so we have a backup plan. I’ve always been a good Boy Scout, so you’ll always be prepared.”

Hanley explained trustees are considering the sheriff’s office because the levies won’t generate enough money, and there won’t be enough budget carryover, to cover police department expenses until April.

“It’s getting very, very tough to maintain a department such as this. And this is why … we went to the union to ask for just a year, give us one year, give us some kind of a break that we can work with,” Trustee Rick Hernandez added.

From the start of the public comments onward, residents didn’t hesitate to voice their opinion on why Hubbard Township should keep its police department. The comments were overlayed by the audience hollering and clapping in agreement — or booing when a speaker’s three minutes were up.

“We are not going to lose. I was talking to some of the police officers and although maybe nothing is really written yet, none of the police officers said on January or Dec. 31 that at midnight, they’re walking off the job. They are going to remain on the job doing their thing and moving forward contract or no contract because that’s how dedicated they are,” esident Bill Colletta said.

“The other thing I just want to say is all of you are up there supposed to be taking information from the public, or the township people, and your opinion is pro-one side and not open minded on all sides, taking the information. All we are hearing back is all the negatives about having our own voice.”

Kevin McCarthy and Jennifer Evans, the new incoming fiscal officer, questioned what would be said in a contract with the county. McCarthy questioned the response times of the sheriff’s office and its reliability, while Evans addressed what Plan B would be should the sheriff’s office breach its contract.

WON’T BUDGE

When Donna Gleydura fired the crowd up by asking what the police officers wanted, it was made clear that neither the trustees nor the union is willing to budge on their offers. She wondered why an agreement can’t be made.

“What is the problem? What do these police want? What are you offering them? I think that’s what you want to know. … Why can’t they settle this?” she asked.

Hanley explained the proposed 10 percent pay cut and proposed 10 percent increase in healthcare cost — as the crowd demanded that the trustees give up 10 percent of their pay.

“We made an offer to them to get us through one year of operations or to take a concession,” Hanley said.

Added Hernandez in response to giving up 10 percent of his trustee pay: “$68 isn’t going to amount to much. … This is the bottom line, folks, we asked for one year, give us a chance, let us try to regroup this thing. Forget about all the animosities … let’s keep your job. And let’s move forward and let’s see this again in a year. Let’s try to make this work out.”

Officer Michael Orr stated that every time the union offered something to the trustees, the offers were countered.

“Our concessions we offered to you in the beginning, whether you want to admit it or you don’t have to be honest about it, was we were going to take a wage freeze across the board for 12 months. We also offered to you that we would eliminate our annual allowance for this year and our longevity pay for this year — with the agreement that you promised us, that you will not go to the sheriff’s department for those 12 months. You refuse to agree to that agreement. You said no,” said Orr. “You still sit up there and make us look like we’re the problem. That’s not fair. It’s not true.”

The crowd didn’t agree with what the trustees said but overall there was a sense of understanding, everyone was more on the same page with why the trustees are considering contracting with the sheriff’s office. But understanding didn’t stifle the anger.

“Like everything in life, it’s not perfect, but it is an alternative …What we agree to, affects us,” said Hanley, reminding the crowd that the trustees live in the township as well.

Despite the discussion, the trustees unsuccessfully assured the crowd that a decision has not already been made. There is no date or time set for when the trustees will decide.