Our police department has been a hot topic lately. For the most part, I think the residents have been happy with the service. However, at this point everyone acknowledges that there are issues that need to be worked out within the department. These include turnover, morale and finding qualified applicants. I am hopeful that between our new chief and the negotiations with the police union (PBA) most of these issues will be resolved.

It is no coincidence that the publicity given to these internal issues has coincided with the department's negotiation with the police union (PBA). The leadership of the police union has gone on the record numerous times in opposition to incorporation. The PBA has and continues to take an active role against incorporation. Prior to our incorporation vote they sent out a letter urging Pinecrest citizens to vote against the "terrible concept of incorporation."

Interestingly, some of the very issues that are hot topics of the police union negotiations are issues that incorporation advocates thought about early on and envisioned as costly follies of other departments. Things like police taking cars home and very liberal comp-time benefits, as well as 20-year retirement packages that left young starting officers with the very real possibility of retiring in their forties and receiving pensions and benefits for twice the amount of years they worked. These issues were raised at many incorporation meetings and the concern for the cost of these items over time was a common concern for many residents.

While the main focus of incorporation was the concept of having a local police department, residents would not support it at any cost. As an incorporation advocate, I attended countless community meetings and I think it is fair to say that hind sight is twenty-twenty. Now that we know the true dollar-numbers in our budget we could perhaps say that we can afford to provide a very good financial package to our police personnel, while also realizing that corporate structures have changed from the time the first Miami-Dade County police union contracts were negotiated. I find it hard to believe that if the county had the opportunity to start with a clean slate that it would be so generous. It simply has become too costly.

In today's corporate world when the average employee reaches retirement age, they will not receive the kind of pension benefit that many of their parents received from their companies. In addition to social security, today's retirees must rely on an IRA, while the more fortunate ones will have a 4O1k plan, which in most cases will have only a small percentage contributed by the employer.

This is the reality of today's marketplace and civil service jobs eventually will become more reflective of the private sector.

Therefore, while I certainly do not envy the negotiation team on either side of the table, in the end I hope that the agreement will be a compromise that provides for the needs of both the officers and the taxpayer over the long haul.

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!