Director: Dispatcher's firing puts a strain on office

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It takes several months to train a dispatcher, the service-safety director said.

BY AMANDA GARRETT

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

WARREN — The city is finding it "a challenge" to staff its dispatcher's office after the firing of a dispatcher Wednesday, Service-Safety Director William Douglas Franklin said.

The ideal number of dispatchers for the police department is 12, but right now the city has only 10, Franklin added.

Dispatcher Andrew Chovan was discharged Wednesday by Franklin because he is in violation of Warren's residency laws, which require all Warren employees to live within the city limits. Another dispatcher is on family leave and is expected to return to the job, Franklin said.

The city is looking into whether it will be more cost-effective to hire a dispatcher to replace Chovan or to have the current dispatchers take on overtime.

A dispatcher makes $12.17 an hour while in training, and $17.38 after becoming fully certified.

Franklin has asked Auditor David Griffing to calculate the overtime expense for filling Chovan's shifts.

It takes several months to properly train a dispatcher, which will make it especially challenging for the department, Franklin said.

"They have to go through certification and then they have to be trained at our 911 center," he said.

On May 14, Chovan listed a Howland address on a residency questionnaire.

Mostly clean record

Up to the time of his dismissal, Chovan had a mostly clean employment record with the city.

He received an exemplary attendance award for the past three years and was commended for continuing to keep police cars on call during a 1998 power outage.

In 1996, however, Chovan was given a three-day suspension for failure to assign any police officers to an emergency call.

Franklin also discharged Officer Michael Currington on Wednesday because of his violation of residency requirements. Currington listed a Fowler Township address on a residency questionnaire filed in September.

Currington's dismissal has not presented any staffing problem, acting Police Chief Michael Vugrincic said.

History of ordinance

In July, city council narrowly passed an ordinance that allowed city employees to live anywhere in Trumbull County or any adjoining counties. Mayor Michael J. O'Brien vetoed that legislation, opposing it in part because of safety concerns. Council did not override the veto, so the city's residency law remains in effect.

Lawyers for the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association have said they will pursue all options to reclaim the men's job.

In June, two city workers unions filed a lawsuit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court asking that the city's residency rules be declared invalid.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Warren Management Association asked Judge Andrew Logan to bring the city into compliance with Ohio law, which prohibits municipalities from putting residency restrictions on their employees.

The unions have also asked the judge to prohibit the city from discharging any employees while the lawsuit is being heard. The judge has not yet granted the unions' request.

agarrett@vindy.com

Saturday, October 7, 2006