In a special meeting Wednesday, city council approved an agreement that sets up a pay increase schedule for the city’s 36 firefighters.
Firefighters will receive a 3 percent pay increase next year, followed by a 2.5 percent increase the following year and a 1 percent increase in the third year. They also will receive a 48-cent roll-in to their base wage in exchange for giving up yearly $600 firefighter 2 and $400 first-responder stipends to maintain certifications. Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz said the 48 cents equates to roughly the same $1,000.
Firefighters will contribute 7 percent to health care next year and 10 percent the following year, which Mientkiewicz said is the same amount as other city unions. The agreement will be effective Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2022.