Marysville City Council will hold a public hearing and second reading of a proposed contract with members of the police department.
Earlier this week, unions representing Marysville division of police communications officers, police officers and police supervisors approved a collective bargaining agreement. City Council has already held a first reading on the agreement and will hold a public hearing on the matter Monday.
“It is identical to what we agreed to with the firefighters’ union,” said Brain Dostanko, human resources director for the City of Marysville.
City Manager Terry Emery said city staff did all of the negotiations. He said the parties did not go to fact finding, but they did go to mediation.
“You never know, from one time to the next, what the sticking point is going to be,” Dostanko said.
This year, he said the point of contention was how overtime and hours worked would be calculated. Dostanko said the contract does not resolve the matter, but says that parties agree to come to a settlement.
He said the overtime issue was “really holding us up.”
“We are confident it will get done,” Dostanko said.
Assistant Police Chief Tony Brooks said he believes “an agreement will be reached soon.”
Dostanko said he believes the city did more than negotiate in good faith. He said he believes the city acted in “great faith.”
As part of that effort, since there was an agreement, though it had not been ratified by either side, as of Jan. 1, city officials began paying union members based on the proposed contract.
“We implemented the increase on Jan. 1, that way we wouldn’t have to go back and pay anybody retroactively,” Dostanko said.
As part of the contract, union members will receive a 2.76% raise for 2020, a 2.75% raise for 2021 and a 2.25% raise for 2022.
“We think those wages are very reasonable,” Emery said. “We felt like this was right on board with what we are seeing out there for other police departments.”
Additionally, Dostanko said union members will receive a longevity bonus — an annual payment based on certain service benchmarks.
“It is not a lot of money, but it’s a way to reward people who have been with the city for a while,” Dostanko said.
Dostanko said before agreeing to things like changes in longevity pay, shift differential and tuition reimbursement, city staff looked at how other police departments operate and compensate employees.
Emery said that by being able to agree to other items the union wanted, the city was able to ask for something administration wanted. Emery said the contract includes mandatory physical fitness testing.
“That is something we have been working on because it is important,” Emery said. “Physical fitness, physical wellness is important for our police.”
Emery said the negotiation was “a good process.”
“We are proud of the good working relationship that exists in Marysville between labor and management,” Brooks said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the union to provide great service the citizens of Marysville.”
Representatives from the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, Inc., which negotiates for and represents the three unions were contacted, but have not returned calls.
The second reading and public hearing will be part of Monday’s regular city council meeting with a final vote set for Feb. 10.