Negotiations between Fox Chapel officials and their police department are set to begin this spring.
The department’s three-person negotiating team was formed earlier this year.
Council solidified its negotiating team on March 17 with Brad Harrison volunteering for its third spot (other council committee members are Frederick Leech and Betsy Monroe).
“I’m looking forward to contributing to positive discussion between the council committee and the police,” Harrison said. “From my time on council, I’ve come to learn that the pubic safety approach demands hiring for character then training for excellence.”
Harrison also expressed confidence in Leech and Monroe having learned from both during his nearly four years on council.
Monroe is chair of the borough’s public safety assistance committee, of which Harrison is a member.
The committee has worked with Foxwall EMS to purchase a new ambulance, with Fox Chapel firefighters to address siren concerns and with the police department on various traffic calming initiatives.
The current four-year police contract is set to expire at the end of this year.
Leech and Monroe were involved with those contract talks along with former councilman Thomas Karet, who withdrew from the 2023 election due to issues with his nomination petition.
Monroe said the previous contract talks were very professional and both parties were able to come up with a “reasonable” deal.
Leech echoed those sentiments and is ready to get to work.
“The process usually kicks off in the springtime,” he said. “We expect that to happen this month or next month and begin informal talks with a view towards completing a contract on a timely basis. It’s a terrific police department — very responsive.”
Monroe and Leech did not get into any potential contract recommendations.
Harrison said another four-year contract or longer “would be beneficial to everybody for planning purposes.”
The police department has 13 full-time officers including Chief Michael Stevens, who serves in an administrative role and is not impacted by the contract.
He did not identify department negotiation committee members as of March 17.
Stevens believes both committees will act in good faith and craft a fair deal.
“The negotiations are generally very cordial,” Stevens said. “We do look forward to working with the council (on a deal) that is beneficial to both parties.
“We desire a fair contract, and the borough has always been very fair with us in years past. Whatever years we agree to work with the council we’ll be happy with.”
The borough is able to focus on police contract talks following a one-year extension to its public works contract, solidifying terms with its nine full-time laborers through the end of 2026.
The original deal was from Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2025.
The vote to extend the contract was 6-0 on Jan. 20. Council vice president Harrison Lauer was absent.
Borough manager Gary Koehler said in January that it would have been very difficult to negotiate two contracts in the same year, and was thankful public works and council could agree on an extension.
Other terms remained the same, including a 3.5% salary increase next year.
Neither department is represented by a union.