Frackville to hire ex-Pottsville cop amid ongoing criticism
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - The Frackville Police shoulder patch on Chief Paul Olsen's uniform at a Frackville Borough Council meeting on March 8, 2023.
FRACKVILLE – At a Saturday morning special meeting, Frackville Council approved the hiring of a former Pottsville City police officer in a 4-1 vote, amid criticism from community members and ex-officers.
The 11am meeting, days before Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting, focused on the hiring and a request by Paul Olson, police chief, to sign-off on a grant. No action was taken on that request.
Council approved hiring Joseph Murton, of Port Carbon, a police officer in that borough and a former officer with the Pottsville Bureau of Police. Olson previously worked in the bureau before being hired in Frackville.
Murton’s offer included a $66,200 starting salary with benefits including family healthcare.
“This is not a hire under the collective bargaining agreement,” Solicitor Mark Semanchik said at the meeting.
The current agreement ran covered 2022 through 2024.
Semanchik said the agreement is no longer in effect after all signatory officers left the department. The offer to Murton consisted of a higher pay rate and more benefits than the agreement provided for.
Council President Ron Jordan, Vice President Pete Zuber, and members Steve Kuzio and Ed Beneshunas voted to approve the hiring. Member Stephen Tertel voted no.
Semanchik also noted that council will be asked to authorize a “close-out” to ensure all borough property is returned from now-ex Patrolman Devin Dellock. A similar authorization was not requested upon ex Patrolman Anthony Kankowski’s resignation.
Several members of the public, as well as former officers, were in attendance.
Brian Russell questioned why Murton did not have to go through the civil service process. Semanchik said that process is required for departments with three or more members. Russell also questioned the offer terms outside of the collective bargaining agreement.
“I want police coverage in the borough as much as everybody else does, but you’ve got to do it under the legality of the law,” Russell said.
“You’re not fixing the problem. You’re throwing band-aids on a bigger problem,” Russell added.
Russell also questioned why similar benefits and pay weren’t offered to the former officers who left.
Jordan reiterated the borough’s commitment to attempting to provide 24/7 police coverage.
Semanchik added that the borough has not received any formal grievances from former police officers.
Regarding the difference in benefits, “They chose not to accept healthcare [coverage for their family],” Semanchik said, citing negotiations.
Dellock challenged that statement.
“We did not turn around and say we didn’t want healthcare. We were denied healthcare, over and over,” Dellock said. She said Kankowski approached the borough seeking family healthcare and that went nowhere.
Semanchik said the department agreed through negotiations, three times, on contracts that did not include such coverage, in exchange for higher wages.
He did confirm that Kankowski pitched family healthcare for all borough employees, which was looked into.
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