Brown addresses Wilkes-Barre OT questions

WILKES-BARRE — Responding to questions from City Council members and two city residents Thursday, Mayor George Brown explained why the city paid out $1.6 million in overtime in 2022 — half of it going to 14 of the 228 city workers that received OT.

“Look, I don’t want to pay all that overtime, but we have to provide coverage,” Brown said. “all positions must be filled and my job is to assure that all services are provided to the residents of the city.”

Brown explained that several city departments are under-staffed — police, fire and DPW especially. He said he has hired 11 new police officers and is about to begin the process of hiring five more.

Brown also explained that collective bargaining agreements with the city’s unions must be followed, which, he noted, is why those 14 employees received the high OT payments. He said seniority provisions in the CBAs must be followed and OT offered first to those with the highest seniority.

“We did spend a lot of money, but it was used to fill critical positions,” Brown said.

Councilwoman Beth McBride said she and other council members have for years advocated for solutions to the OT issues.

“This is a systemic problem that we see every year,” McBride said. “We’ve again asked to look into ways we can resolve the OT problem.”

Brown said once he fills the vacant positions in the three major departments, he expects OT costs to drop dramatically.

Brown said he and Administrator Charles McCormick are reviewing the overtime issues and will report back.

City residents Sam Troy and Mark Schaffer also asked that something be done to reduce the OT payments. They also asked that the city be sure that all overtime worked is documented, which Brown said it was.

Other business

In other business, council unanimously approved two resolutions. One was for new signage for a business and the other to purchase a new ambulance for the city fire department.

The signage is for the Chill Grill restaurant, 100 N. Pennsylvania Ave., including one that will hang over the sidewalk. The Chill Grill initially closed its doors in July of 2022 after 17 years of business, but was reopened under new managers Anthony and Hope MacFarland in January.

The new ambulance for the city’s fleet will replace one of the fire department’s older ambulances. Brown said the city will have three ambulances, but he said he hopes to also replace the other two in the near future. The ambulance approved for purchase Thursday night is expected to arrive in March or April.

“Our ambulances are in bad shape,” Brown said. “We have to replace this one as soon as possible.”

The new ambulance is a 2022 Braun Chief XL Ford F550 4×2 model, and the cost is $386,298.38.

The vehicle would be purchased from Glick Fire Equipment Company Inc, based out of Bird-in-Hand, Pa., in Lancaster County. The purchase would be made through the state’s Cooperative Purchasing Program, or COSTARS, using the city’s American Rescue Plan funds.

That price would include a deduction for the trade-in of the old ambulance.

Civil Service police exams

The city’s Wilkes-Barre Police Civil Service Commission announced the Entry Level Police Officers examination schedule. All candidates for the Wilkes-Barre Police Civil Service Testing must submit an application to the Wilkes-Barre City Clerk’s Office no later than Thursday, March 16, at 4 p.m.

Applications for the Police Department are available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in the Clerk’s Office, 4th Floor, City Hall, 40 East Market St., and online at — www.wilkes-barre.city/civilserviceapplication.

There is a non-refundable $100 filing fee due at time of submitting an application.

Mayor announces CODE Blue for Feb, 24-25

Mayor Brown announced that the City will enact the CODE BLUE designation for the evenings Feb. 24-25, due to severe cold temperatures.

The Code Blue Emergency Shelter Program will be administered by Keystone Mission Emergency Shelter, 290 Parkview Circle.

During a Code Blue, the shelter will be open to guests’ arrival between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and will close at 7 a.m. the following morning.

A Code Blue will be initiated when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures of 20 degrees or below, or when there is an expected snowfall of 12” or more. The public will also be notified of a Code Blue situation by the lighting of a blue light on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre.