Lock Haven government now looking at 12-hour shifts for police; 24-hour protection

By John Lipez

LOCK HAVEN, PA – City Council Monday night gave its approval to the applicable terms of a new three-year contract between the city and the Lock Haven Police Officers Association. The council’s unanimous vote came after an arbitration panel last month approved the new pact, retroactive to the first of this year.

The contract allows the city to change from three 8-hour shifts for city police to 10-hour shifts but City Manager Greg Wilson said the city has begun a dialogue with the police force members to convert the hourly shifts to 12 hours and “hopefully will work together to find a way to make that work.” Contacted by The Record after the meeting, the city manager amplified on that word,

“We are working with the police to try to develop a 12-hour shift schedule that would cover 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and also 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to continue 24-hour coverage while also reducing costs.

It’s a work in progress and the Lock Haven Police Officers Association has had an active hand in crafting the schedule to make sure it works well for our community.  It is the city’s hope that this solution will help both keep 24-hour coverage and reduce overtime costs at the same time.”

There was no comment from any members of council as to the contents of the new contract.

The new contract will be for three years, retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. It calls for a 2% increase this year, 3% in 2024 and 4% in 2025. That means a first-class patrolman this year will earn $63,502, $65,407 in 2024, and in 2025 the position will pay $68,023.

Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding addressed council in her capacity as president of Downtown Lock Haven, Inc. She took exception to some comments at council’s Oct. 16 meeting. While she did not detail what those October comments were, she said the downtown organization was not involved in any criticism of council and its approval of summer of 2024 weekend street closings for a business on Grove Street; she did note some downtown businesses expressed unhappiness with that decision. She said her comments were in no way intended to disparage the Grove Street business.

Also Monday night, council gave its okay to a resolution to submit a letter to PennVEST to enable future refunding of expenses related to emergency work to tap into two city wells in Wayne Township to help alleviate a low water situation for the Lock Haven and Suburban water systems. City Manager Wilson said the emergency funding is estimated at $1 million and will be coupled with a cost of $4.575 million to make those wells permanent; for a total cost of $5.575 million. Council approval was unanimous.