FOP, Fort Smith officials meet about pay, policies

City officials are evaluating pay and policy issues raised by the Fraternal Order of Police, but are saying that “significant” changes may have to wait on consideration of the fiscal 2012 budget later this year.

On March 16, Sgt. Don Bales, president of the FOP, met with Fort Smith City Directors George Catsavis and Andre Good to discuss concerns about wages and benefits. Specifically, the FOP cited what they perceived as benefit disparities between city employees and fire and police employees and loss of wages from delayed cost-of-living adjustments, regular step increases and merit pay.

“The loss of wages due to lack of proper STEP/COLA or MERIT pay increases are taking its toll on our officers. Morale is down and seems to be getting worse,” Director Good noted in a March 22 memo to City Administrator Ray Gosack.

After repeated attempts by Gosack and Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey to schedule a meeting with the FOP, the parties met April 19.

In a memo to the board, Gosack provided a list of requests made by the FOP.
• Restoration of merit/step pay increases;
• Use of comp time;
• Enhanced health coverage benefits;
• Additional sick leave buyback;
• Additional vacation leave;
• Paid time off for working out;
• Inclement weather pay; and,
• Lowering the threshold for overtime compensation from 43 hours to 40 hours.

“Chief Lindsey, Richard Jones (head of HR for the city) and I will evaluate these requests next week and bring any recommended changes to the board for approval. I did let the FOP and MPA reps know that items with significant financial cost likely wouldn’t be considered until the 2012 budget,” Gosack noted in the board memo.

Gosack said appropriate city staff also met April 27 on the issue to gather and discuss information related to the FOP requests.