The City Council gave unanimous approval Wednesday night to two agreements, one with the city’s firefighters and the other with the state on environmental monitoring of the Gateway Center.
The new labor contract between firefighters and the city awards the firefighters salary increases of 2 percent each year for three years.
The agreement with the state Department of Environmental Management requires the city to file annual inspection reports prepared by a “qualified environmental professional” in connection with land usage restrictions at the Gateway.
There was little discussion of the agreements among council members before both 6-0 votes were taken. Mayor Harry Winthrop was absent and Council Vice Chairwoman Lynn Underwood Ceglie ran the meeting.
Councilwoman Kathryn Leonard was concerned about additional costs in the labor contract, but City Solicitor Christopher Behan, who negotiated the agreement with the firefighters, explained how added costs were basically balanced by contract savings.
“It’s a wash,” he said.