A Palmerton resident has once again inquired about the labor dispute between Palmerton Borough and its police department.

Raberta Hans asked borough council last week if it had any updated information it could share with the public.

Council President Terry Costenbader said there was recently an arbitration hearing, but that they likely wouldn’t know the outcome for some time.

“I want to know what we spent on this,” Hans said.

In February, Hans questioned the police department’s overtime hours, including a grievance filed on behalf of an officer regarding overtime pay.

Hans told council at that time her concerns stem from not only the amount of overtime hours police officers have been working, but also several grievances that have been filed since the start of the new year.

She questioned how much borough has to pay its labor lawyer. Council said then the amount was not known at that time.

Five police grievances have been filed against the borough since the start of the new year.

In January, the Palmerton Police Benevolent Association filed a grievance against the Palmerton Borough Personnel Committee on behalf of officer Derek Koch who it claims was denied overtime pay.

In February, three more grievances were filed against the borough; one on behalf of an officer who has been directed to obtain a doctor’s note, an incident involving officer Trevor Flexer, who was denied overtime pay contrary to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and an incident in which officer Shawn Leadbetter used three hours of compensatory time in a 40-hour workweek.

Most recently, the Palmerton Police Benevolent Association charged that Palmerton Borough had engaged in unfair labor practice.

According to the complaint, officer Dane O’Brien used a contractual sick leave day on Jan. 23.

The borough accused O’Brien of abusing sick leave and initiated an investigation and disciplinary procedures, which resulted in O’Brien filing a grievance.

On March 11, the borough issued a response to O’Brien and said officers were suspected of abusing sick leave.

The borough said O’Brien has to submit a doctor’s certification for sick leave.

The union said the borough did not bargain with the association before implementing the March 11 directive regarding O’Brien’s use of sick leave and medical certification notes.

Palmerton borough manager Autumn Canfield has declined to comment on any of the grievances, because she said she considers them to be personnel issues.