Commissioners reject deputies contract, OK 911 employee contract, raise jail inmage per diem rate

Commissioners on Tuesday rejected a proposed tentative contract between the Lorain County Sheriff's Office and the Lorain County Deputies Association, which represents road deputies and select other employees. During the same meeting, they approved an agreement with unionized Lorain County 911 employees, and increased the daily incarceration rate paid for county Jail inmates for the first time in 23 years. The deputies association was seeking a new three-year contract effective retroactive to Jan. 1 this year and ending Dec. 31, 2028. In a news release explaining their decision, commissioners wrote that they rejected the tentative agreement based on "concerns about insurance language and wage increases that exceed the established pattern for county labor agreements." They also said they didn't have a seat at the bargaining table, where their participation "helps ensure agreements reflect the county's overall financial position and consistent standards across county government," they wrote. The deputies' prior contract expired in January. Commissioners previously rejected a tentative proposed agreement in June. Commissioners said most county employee unions have successfully concluded negotiations, and that the board "seeks consistency in wage increases, benefits and other provisions to promote fairness among employees and responsible financial planning. The board respects that wage determinations are unique with each job, however any annual increases need to be consistent." "We respect our employees and the collective bargaining process," Commissioner David Moore said in the news release. "We also have a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure labor agreements are fair, consistent with established guidelines, and financially responsible. Our goal is to reach fair agreements while protecting the county's long-term financial stability." Commissioners said they remain willing to work on resolving employees concerns, but "any resolution must address the identified issues and support a fair, consistent and financially responsible approach to county labor agreements," they said, declining further comment "out of respect for the ongoing collective bargaining process." In a statement provided to The Chronicle-Telegram, the association called the commissioners' statement "Yet another premade press release with fancy language that says nothing." "Contrary to what the commissioners may believe, we do NOT work for them," the association wrote, the capitalization theirs. "We work for and are employed by Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall. His office is our appointing authority, NOT the Lorain County commissioners." "We have no obligation to negotiate with the commissioners and they have no authority to expect a seat at the table just because the prior Sheriff's Office administration let them do all the work," the LCDA wrote. "In fact, we would love to see how much money the Sheriff's Office has saved the commissioners in billable hours from the outside law firm used to conduct negotiations for them, but they won't answer that records request." The deputies called the tentative agreement they reached with Hall "fair and consistent with the other agreements within the Sheriff's Office, which is again, who our contract is with and who we negotiate with." "The law is pretty clear and so is the commissioner's handbook that they all have," the LCDA wrote. "Hopefully that's the 'established guidelines' referenced in the rejection, but then again, they have not answered that records request either." Commissioners rejected an agreement with the union representing corrections officers at the Lorain County Jail on Sept. 29. The three-year agreement commissioners approved with Lorain County 911 employees, represented by the Fraternal Order of Police Association Ohio Labor Council, will wage increases for those employees of 4.5 percent in 2027, 3.5 percent in 2028 and 4 percent in 2029, commissioners said. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2029, it also establishes wage steps "based on skills and experience in exchange for eliminating longevity payments," commissioners said. "The board recognizes 911 employees' important public safety role and the need to balance fair compensation with the county's long-term financial obligations," commissioners said in the news release. Jail rate increase Commissioners on Tuesday voted to raise the daily incarceration rate at the Lorain County Jail from $75 per day for inmates to $220 per day. Municipalities will now be responsible for paying the increased rate "for the necessary housing and care of inmates committed to the custody" of the jail. Whether municipalities will be responsible for inmate costs, and related expenses such as medical costs, can depend on how their police departments charge crimes such as under local or state statutes. Hall said he reached out to county police chiefs, municipal clerks of court and addressed concerns from elected city council members prior to Tuesday's vote. He projected his office will receive an additional $375,000 to $425,000 annually to assist with jail operations. The rate will be reexamined annually withing 90 days of the end of the year, Hall said. Contact Dave O'Brien at 440-329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.