Union representative and public speakers raise police facility and pay equity concerns

Rich Gotska, staff representative for the West Virginia Police Benevolent Association, told the City Council that officers feel demoralized by substandard conditions in some police facilities and by perceived inequities in the recently proposed pay raise structure. "There is a concern about keeping and benefiting our veteran police officers," Gotska said, and he described sanitation problems, mold and electrical issues he documented with photographs.

Public speakers Kevin Witcher and Philip Dunn offered support for first responders. Witcher, an ordained elder, said he prays regularly with officers and urged them to let conscience guide their decisions; Dunn thanked the mayor and police leadership for their service.

Councilwoman Snodgrass tied those concerns to budget policy by proposing a $32,000 amendment to move funds from overtime into the police salary line to raise milestone increases to $0.75 for all officers, describing it as a modest step to improve morale and pay equity. The amendment was put to a roll-call vote and failed 17 to 9.

What was requested: Gotska asked council to tour facilities and consider equitable pay for legacy officers; Snodgrass asked the council to reallocate $32,000 to raise milestone increases across the board.

What the council did: Council debated the procedural timing of the amendment and ultimately voted it down; the main municipal budget was adopted without that reallocation.

Why it matters: Council attention to workplace conditions and pay affects police morale and recruitment at a time the city reported being 15 to 23 officers short. The defeated amendment signals council majority unwilling to shift the proposed budget lines at this time.

Sources: Remarks by Rich Gotska (WV PBA), Councilwoman Snodgrass and public commenters Kevin Witcher and Philip Dunn.