By Adam Swift
The city council held a quick special summer meeting last week to take care of some timely business, including moving two union contract agreements to its ways and means subcommittee. City Manager Fidel Maltez is requesting that the council approve new contracts for the Chelsea Police Superior Officers union and the Chelsea Firefighters union. Maltez is also requesting that the council approve the cost items associated with the settled contracts. The major cost items of the agreement with the Police Superior Officers union are the annual raises for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. The contract calls for a 4 percent raise for FY25, a 4 percent raise for FY26, and a 3 percent raise for FY27.
“In addition, in FY27 there will be a 1% increase to hazardous duty pay,” stated Maltez. “The total cost of the contract over the three years is approximately $970,000.” Maltez stated that a request to transfer funds from the salary reserve line will be presented to cover the approximately $173,000 FY25 salary cost in the fall. The annual raises for the firefighters union will match those laid out in the Police Superior Officers union over the course of FY25 to FY27.
“In addition, in FY27, there will be a change in the calculation method for the night differential rate,” stated Maltez. The total cost of the contract over three years is approximately $2.3 million, Maltez said. “Since the contract takes effect July 1 and the major cost items are accounted for in the FY25 budget, a request to transfer funds from the Salary Reserve line will be presented to cover the approximately $370,000 FY25 salary cost in the fall,” stated Maltez. In other business, the council approved the warrant for the state primaries to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 3.