JAMESTOWN – The Arbitration hearing between the city of Jamestown and its police union resumed on Wednesday and, according to the Post-Journal, the hearing became heated at times.
The day focused on testimony by Board of Public Utilities General Manager David Leathers, who wanted to clarify information that was provided during the hearing last month by Police Union attorney Charles DeAngelo.
Leathers said some of DeAngelo’s statements on the BPU were misleading and inaccurate – including his assessment that BPU workers start off with better wages than city police officers.
Last month, DeAngelo said a starting Jamestown Police Department officer makes $50,000 a year while a starting BPU line worker starts at around $70,000.
Leathers said it is true that a starting line worker does make $70,000 a year, but that is not an introductory BPU position. He said new electric workers start as utility workers and, after seven to 10 years, can progress to being a line worker. He said a new utility worker starts at around $31,000 a year.
DeAngelo tried to object to Leathers offering testimony on Police Union matters since he is charged with overseeing the BPU, not the city police department, but Leathers was allowed to offer testimony.
The arbitration hearing is taking place to help settle a contract matter with the city and police union, which has been working without a new contract since the start of 2016.
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