Incumbents, Challengers Clash at Laurel Candidate Forum

Incumbent candidates clashed with their challenger rivals on funding and pension for Laurel Police during a candidate forum designed to win endorsements from the unionized police force.

Seven candidates, excluding Ward 2 candidate Fred Smalls and mayoral hopeful Valerie Cunningham, turned out for the Monday night event hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 11, a union for the 67 members of the Laurel Police Department.

Lodge members focused their questions on pay raises for Laurel Police, collective bargaining for officers, and increases to the pension funds.

Addressing a crowd of more than 20 officers, Moe defended his record of funding the police force, reminding the union that collective bargaining, which would allow officers to negotiate pay and benefits as a union, takes time.

“I think I let my actions stand,” he said. "As a mayor and former council member, I was able to get things done.”

Mayoral candidate Mike Sarich, a former council member, slammed the current administration and council for moving too slowly on collective bargaining and additional resources for officers.

“I believe our police force needs collective bargaining,” he said. “[Moe] did nothing except talk.”

But Moe fired back, saying that while Sarich was on the city council he did little move the police force closer to collective bargaining.

“Mr. Sarich will have you believe that he will [get it done],” he said. “It’s a lot of talk. That’s all he did. That’s all he’s going to do.”

Ward 2 Councilwoman Donna Crary reminded union members that in the current fiscal climate, increasing pay and allowing collective bargaining could be difficult.

“This is the real world," she said. "Things don’t happen overnight.”

At-large candidate Adrian Rousseau said he supports collective bargaining and wage increases for police. He accused the current administration of squandering resources that could have been used for police wages and benefits, such as funds spent on a swimming pool along Main Street and refurbishing the police station on Fifth Street.

“We need to get more involved,” he said. “A lot of that funding should have gone into you guys.”

Council President Michael Leszcz reaffirmed the council’s commitment to adequately funding the police force.

The “mayor and council have consistently backed the police force,” he said.

The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 11, endorsement list tomorrow.