Brockport Stetson Club's contract
approved amidst board dispute

After working for more than one year without one, the Brockport police now have a signed contract. By a four to one vote, the village board approved the four year contract with the Stetson Club, which represents the Brockport police. Mayor Josephine Matela cast the dissenting vote.

Matela and Police Chief Daniel Varrenti have maintained their stand that if the department were allowed to hire an additional full time officer and two part timers, it would save the community more money than hiring several part time officers. "I can't for the life of me figure out why the trustees refused to follow this recommendation," Matela said. "I feel their personal agendas are keeping them from doing the right thing."

The contract offers Varrenti the option of using part time officers to meet the contractually approved two officer per shift staffing level three days per week.

Trustee Morton Wexler said he appreciated the efforts that went into the negotiations that now allow the village to maintain the minimum staffing at least three out of seven days a week. "Would we want this on seven days out of the week - absolutely," he said. "But when we started negotiations we had zero, and now we have nine out of 21 shifts, or 42 percent of the time where we can use part time officers. Will that suffice, I just don't know."

The Stetson Club contract didn't do away with the minimum staffing requirements, Matela said, adding that the concession was to allow for full time hours to be staffed by part timers. "This puts an additional financial burden on the community," she said. "We have to look for a pool of at least eight part timers and it is not easy to fill these positions ... these officers sometimes work only one or two days per month because they work at other jobs."

Matela said that it costs $18,000 to outfit and train the part time officers.

It was during the budget meeting where Matela called for the removal from the board of trustees Wexler, Norman Knapp and James Whipple. "The trustees have not been cooperative at all," Matela said. "Their personal agendas have gotten in the way of what is best for the village."

At the budget meeting the board also approved a tentative budget which will be presented to the public Wednesday, April 7. The budget carries with it a 9.98 percent tax rate increase.