GIRARD — With a section removed that would have allowed the mayor to give time off to police officers without prior negotiations, city council on Monday voted 6-0 on a new two-year contract for police sergeants and captains.

Members of council last week expressed concerns that Mayor Mark Zuppo had given police employees nonnegotiated days off before it was originally placed in the tentative contract.

Councilman Thomas Grumley, D-4th Ward, said he asked Law Director Maurus Malvasi if the practice was allowed, and Malvasi said it was not.

The section in question is where the mayor or safety service director makes the determination to close the administration building early the day before a recognized holiday, officers shall receive additional holiday time off in an amount equal to the hours off for employees in city administration. The usage of the additional holiday time shall be given only if it does not create overtime.

Safety Service Director Mark Ragozine said during contract negotiations, it was decided to remove that section.

“The document in front of you is exactly the same minus that one section,” Ragozine said.

Grumley said since that section of the contract was removed, he would support it.

Councilman Keith Schubert, D-1st Ward, said he has received many phone calls from residents asking about Zuppo granting the days off and what the explanation was for doing that.

Zuppo said when he started as mayor, he noted that the morale was down for the employees, so he wanted to boost morale by implementing an Employee of the Month recognition. That included not only recognition at a council meeting, but also a day off.

He said he checked to make sure when someone was given a comp day it didn’t lead to overtime for other workers.

Councilman Mark Standohar, D-3rd Ward, asked Auditor Julie Coggins what was the total cost for all the comp days given by the mayor. Coggins said there were 22 employees who were granted a day off after being selected as Employee of the Month and with other employees getting a half day off before a holiday, it equaled approximately $130,000 in comp time.

Council President Reynold Paolone, who does not vote on contracts unless there is a tie vote, said officers have been given 6.5 days off since Zuppo has been in office.

CONTRACT RATES

The new agreement has sergeants receiving compensation based upon their time in rank or classification seniority. Effective in January, a rank differential of 14% shall be maintained between the top police officer’s rate and the sergeant’s rate and between the sergeant’s rate and the captain’s rate.

Effective January 2027, the rank differential shall be 15%. Effective the last pay period in fiscal year 2027, the rate differential shall be increased to 16%.

Robin Bell, negotiator for the police employees, said previously the rank differential is common practice for police contracts.

YEARS OF SERVICE

In other business, Councilman John Moliterno, D-at Large, requested that commendations be prepared to recognize Standohar, Councilman Jeff Kay, D-2nd Ward, and Councilman Sam Zirafi, D-at Large, for their years of service on council. The three will be leaving Dec. 31 as all three chose not to run for reelection.

Paolone noted that Standohar had 26 years of service to the city as the city’s law director and then on council. He said Zirafi served as the auditor before serving on council.

“They showed their commitment to the community by their service. The public needs to know there is a lot of time and effort that goes into serving as a member of council,” Moliterno said.