At the February 9 Lancaster County commissioners work session, county labor counsel Mike Miller advised that the commissioners approve an updated memorandum of understanding with the Lancaster County Detectives Association. The association, which accepted a 0% pay increase, requested that the County allow $400 per employee to be available for normal wear and tear on personal clothing and equipment used in the field. Commissioner Craig Lehman, however, was not so eager to accept the new provision.
According to Miller, the association is entitled in 2010 to reopen contract negotiations. Regarding to the 0% increase, Miller said, “I think it shows that the Detectives Association is wanting to work with the County, understanding the particular constraints that the County is under.” Miller noted that, “to be fair,” counsel has tentatively agreed to provide the new $400 allocation.
Miller explained the current status quo and the scope of the proposed change: “The section already provides for a $4,000 expense if someone’s personal clothing, personal automobile, or personal effects—such as eyeglasses—are damaged in the line of duty. What we would recommend to you is additional language which says that $400 of that already existing $4,000 amount could be used towards the cost of replacing work-related equipment, specialized items, or work-related clothing which is damaged in the line of duty.”
Lehman questioned the new provision, noting that since a receipt only and no proof of work-related wear-and-tear is formally required, this could become a de facto allowance for members of the association.
Lehman continued: “There’s no doubt that the detectives get credit for agreeing to not increase their base salary for 2010. But the policy of providing a clothing allowance for normal wear-and-tear is new territory—there’s no doubt about that, either. And the fact that you can now go out and get $400 worth of new clothing and equipment for normal wear-and-tear, this is a new area for this agreement and, I believe, a new area for the county, and that’s what I have trouble with.”
The commissioners will vote on the resolution at their public meeting later this week.
Urban grants will soon reach agenda
Also at the meeting, NewsLanc asked the commissioners if the county plans to again dispense Urban Enhancement Grants to local municipalities in 2010. Commissioner Martin, who had recently expressed reluctance to again approve these funds, said that new program requirements will likely be brought to the board in March.
“It’ll be an on-going discussion,” Martin said, “We’ll have a dialog on that in public when it comes before us. My feelings are still up in the air over it, but we’ll hash that out….I know that Planning is going through some adjustments to the program in order to tighten what it can be used for, which I think is very much needed, but we’ll obviously have discussion over its financial impact.”
The Urban Enhancement program allocates sizable grants to county municipalities with the purpose of “sustaining the urban areas of Lancaster County to accommodate growth.” In 2009, the County handed out 27 grants, totaling $2 million. The allocations ranged from highly practical uses, such as sewer system upgrades or handicapped accessibility improvements, to more questionable ones, such as $20,000 for a Lancaster City streetcar feasibility study.
