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GOSHEN TOWNSHIP -- The Goshen and Green townships boards of trustees met to negotiate an increase in compensation for police protection Thursday.
Goshen Township Board of Trustees Chair John Bricker described the Goshen Township Police Department's finances as "tight" despite Police Chief John Calko restricting spending to the essentials when asked about their status by Green Township Trustee Randy Chismar.
"John has done a very good job here of keeping things in check…I don't know where he's finding all the savings at, but he's doing pretty good with the way costs are going up," said Bricker.
Chismar asked if the department's annual raise process had begun yet and Calko said that he was proposing a 5% raise for officers in 2025, noting that while it was larger than past years it was still lower compared to other departments competing for personnel, and that Goshen Township Fiscal Officer Michele Barratt had worked the proposed raises into the department's budget for 2025.
Chismar proposed a new monthly rate of $39,000, or $468,000 annually, an approximately 5% increase from $434,000 Green Township paid for police protection in 2024.
Goshen Trustee Shawn Mesler raised concerns that Goshen contributed approximately $23,000 more than Green in 2024, and $24,000 in 2023 of the approximately $1 million annual revenue of the department, and that the stated intent of the contract was for the townships to contribute roughly equal funding. Chismar argued that Goshen Township owns all the department's assets which could be used to recoup costs if the department dissolved while Green did not, and that the proposed rate increase would cover the proposed 5% wage increase as well as an increase to the rest of the department's current expenses.
Mesler countered that Goshen also holds all the liability for the department and its assets and reiterated that the intention of the contract was for equal contribution, particularly given the township's disparate economic situations.
"I'm obviously one person; there's three of us over here that are going to make this decision but the intent of this several years ago was to be as equal as possible, especially when we're struggling and you guys are not, I struggle with this a little bit. If we're going to hash over numbers and not come to numbers, are we going to have to talk less coverage? Less hours? Less miles? What are we going to do here to make this even," said Mesler.
Chismar ultimately said that the townships would not reach a 50/50 split and noted that the $23,000 disparity represented only a small percentage of the department's nearly $1 million total revenue.
"We're not going to be 50/50, we've had this discussion last year, it's just not going to happen; and like I said before $23,000 out of $1 million, it's 2% you're talking, 49% to 51%, right there… we're not going 50/50. With the other assets you have that we wouldn't if we split up tomorrow [Goshen Township] could still run a police force, we'd have to go out and buy three cars, radio equipment, light equipment, all that other stuff that goes into it," said Chismar.
Chismar also said that while Barratt's goal for the department to have annual budget carryover of $100,000 to remedy cash flow issues was admirable, he was unwilling to seek a new police levy when Green Township's current levy ended to enable it.
"I'm 100% okay with that $100,000 number, I think that should be a number to aim for as a [carryover] balance every year, but I'm not willing to put Green Township back on the levy in 2030 to make that happen. We projected it with a certain increase of 4% every year through 2024 so we would not have to go back to the people," said Chismar.
Bricker asked if Green Township would consider a monthly rate of $40,000, or $480,000 annually, noting that he wanted to give the township's officers as much money as possible.
"I want to try and get these guys as much of a raise as I can give them to keep competitive, but we only have so much funding to give," said Bricker.
Mesler noted that even after the proposed 5% raises the department's ranking officers would still be making less than other community's starting rate, and that he wants to avoid reaching a point where Goshen is forced to subsidize the department with General Fund money, particularly with the last of the townships American Rescue Plan Act funding set to be expended in 2025.
The Green Township Trustees proposed the townships "split the difference," for a monthly rate of $39,500, or $474,000 annually. Both boards ultimately agreed to the compromise, with the Goshen Trustees passing a formal motion to accept the proposed monthly figure of $39,500.
While both boards will still need to formally approve an addendum to the contract to implement the new rate, Bricker said that it was the only aspect of the contract being changed and that both boards should approve the addendum without any issues.
The board of trustees will meet next at 1 p.m. Jan 8 for its annual year end meeting with the annual re-organization meeting to immediately follow and will meet for its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 11.
mahart@mojonews.com