Home > Talk of Lufkin > Archives > 2008 > October > 07 > Entry
City leaders perturbed by police association’s ‘Meet and Confer’ request
Lufkin City Council members and the president of the Lufkin Police Association, J.B. Smith, tried to keep their emotions in check Tuesday as they discussed a proposed “Meet and Confer” policy that would allow the police group to negotiate some employment issues with the council.
“We’re asking for the right to sit down at the table and say, ‘These are the things we want for the future,’” Smith said.
Currently, according to a Texas law, public employees can not negotiate with the city. Lufkin Police Chief Larry Brazil works with the city on issues relating to the police force. Brazil stated at Tuesday’s meeting that he does not have strong feelings for or against the proposed agreement.
Comments
By Sam
October 8, 2008 4:05 AM | Link to this
I thought the police dept had Civil Service Representation.
By Flyfisher
October 8, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
Sam, you are right, they do have Civil Service Representation, but when the Rep is usually either picked out of the “City Staff” or the close friends of the council or Mayor, they do not have a lot of help. I do not have a dog in this hunt….anymore, but when I was there, you were just as likely to be told to, “Sit down and shut up.” in a Civil Service meeting as a City Council meeting. There were several times that things were brought to the Counil, then the Board, that would have help the City as much or more than the Officers, and it was shot down without even hearing the details.
By Spanky
October 8, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Lufkin Police are pathetically paid, sure they got a raise in October of 2006 which was 8% (of an already low pay scale). The current payscale is outdated and again puts Lufkin behind the rest. If a more accurate comparison were to be completed LPD would be in the bottom of the list. They want a pay raise and the deserve one.
By Ru
October 8, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
The city officials are in the tank for one another. This was given to me directly from the Assistant District Attorney himself. The police officers deserve a raise. How about taking some of the City attorney’s 100k plus retainer and giving some of it towards a raise for our “City Law Enforcement”. Hurt, you are hurt because the law enforcement wants a pay raise above 50k a year. You local council members get 100k plus ……and you’re hurt? You really don’t care about the local city police officers. You never have. So quit acting childish about someone actually taking a stand for City Police Officers. Your acting hurt so you don’t have to do anything. The only thing the city officials are really concerned with is the standing in each others eyes. How big their house is and how prestigious they look. They do not care about our city and definitely not about our city police officers! Get real.
By Jayson
October 8, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
This is the problem when a city goes civil service with police and fire. It’s never enough and the police association wants complete control - so Meet and Confer is next on their agenda. What the citizens of Lufkin should do is call for an election and throw out civil service like Sherman did some years ago. Police and fire management have little control over promotions or discipline anymore under civil service - and usually its only the bad seeds that civil service protects. Think I’m wrong? Try firing an officer under civil service!
By Wayne
October 8, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
If you don’t like what you are getting paid or you don’t like the working conditions, find another job. I’m sure the City of Lufkin is doing their best juggling an entire city budget on a limited income, as all cities are having to do. This is not a good time to create discord by asking for more money.
By Resigned Citizen
October 8, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this
Having been a lifelong resident of Lufkin, I feel compelled to state the following. Our city is managed by a group of “good ole boys” who have only the best interest of their friends or themselves, in mind. I know and have had dealings with most all of the major players in city government, and can state with complete confidence that most of them are better suited to operating a hot dog stand on a street corner than managing the affairs for a city of nearly 50K. Lufkin city management waste taxpayers money because they are not businessmen conditioned to making every dollar count. Oh well, nothing is likely to change! The “good ole boy” network is firmly entrenched in this town and our city is 20 years behind the curve!
By Possum
October 9, 2008 7:04 AM | Link to this
This is stretching my memory, but didn’t the Lufkin Police Officers once have a Union (or something kind of like a union) representing them 20 or so years ago.
No, I am not talking about Civil Service here. It was something in addition to Civil Service. An organization to “talk for” the police to the city.