By ALLISON WOOD Staff Writer

MEDINA — The Medina County Sheriff’s Office is delaying laying off the three deputies who patrol Lafayette Township until May 1.

“We are still looking at other things to see if this is a must-needed measure,” Chief Deputy Ken Baca said. “It also gives us the opportunity to work with the union.”

Baca is currently handling contract negotiations between the sheriff’s office and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the union representing sheriff’s employees.

Township Trustee Don Butler said he was informed about the delay Monday after receiving a letter from Sheriff Neil Hassinger.

The Lafayette deputies’ last day on the job was supposed to be Friday.

Township trustees voted April 1 to hire an attorney to see if they should take legal action against the sheriff’s office since the township’s contract with the office prohibits the deputies from being laid off.

The attorney trustees hired — Allan Michelson — also wrote the final draft of the township’s contract with the sheriff’s office, Butler said.

Last year, the township signed a five-year contract with the sheriff’s office stating the township will pay the salaries of three deputies to patrol the township full time. It also says no deputy can be laid off or transferred out of the township without trustees’ approval.

“No one was consulted,” Butler said during the April 1 meeting. “We just got a notice.”

However, the township contract is in conflict with the police union pact that includes all sheriff’s deputies. According to union rules, the Lafayette deputies should be laid off first because they have the least seniority. All three were hired in August 2006, employment records show.

If those deputies are laid off, Baca said the township would get three replacements.

According to the township contract, the office must submit names of deputies to the trustees, who must approve them.

Three weeks ago, the sheriff’s office gave layoff notices to three other deputies, but those notices were canceled last week after a meeting between attorneys representing the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the sheriff’s office.

Layoff notices were issued because of budget cuts, Baca said.

In the budget passed last month, the county allocated about $500,000 less to the sheriff’s office than in 2007.

Wood may be reached at 330-721-4050 or allisonwood@ohio.net.