Deputies get 4-year contract with 2% annual raises

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2016 at 10:43 am

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved a four-year contract with the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, providing 2 percent annual raises from 2017-2020.

The contract also adds steps in the salary structure to boost the baseline pay for deputies, making the Sheriff’s Office more competitive with other local police agencies, including the Albion and Medina police departments, said Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer.

The deal will save the county an estimated $36,000 next year in health insurance premiums.

The Deputy Sheriff’s Association includes 24 members. With the contract approved, the county now has also bargaining units under contract through 2018, Legislature Chairman David Callard said.

In other matters at Wednesday’s Legislature meeting, Sheriff Randy Bower and Undersheriff Chris Bourke were given approval to pursue a $25,000 state grant through the Division of Criminal Justice Services for police protective equipment.

The grant doesn’t require a local match. Bower said the Sheriff’s Office wants to acquire ballistics helmets, secondary bullet-proof vests and patrol rifles. Some of that equipment would be shared with Albion, Holley and Medina police departments with a goal to have every patrol car outfitted with the equipment.

Bourke said the equipment will help police work together to “go after the threat and eliminate it.”

The Legislature also approved:

• Buying a 2016 Tahoe patrol vehicle for $50,912 from Niagara Leasing Inc. to be paid over three years.

• Approved an emergency purchase of a UniMac 80-pound Commercial Hard Mount Washer Extractor for the county jail at $12,500 from Statewide Machinery in Batavia. The new washer extractor replaces one that was 20 years old.

• Authorized filling two part-time corrections officers vacancies in the county jail at an hourly rate of $13.92.

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