The city council will formally agree with the police officers association tonight over concessions that avoid six officers losing their jobs.
The police union voted last week to ratify terms of an agreement that reduced pay and time off but avoided the layoffs. Assistant City Manager David Biggs said after four police department employees retire in the next year, their positions will not be filled.
The city could not provide the department with a guarantee that no one will be laid off. However, Biggs and Sgt. Dave Taneman, president of the police union, did not believe there would be any layoffs.
"It's a tough economy and we're trying to do the best we can to work with the city," Taneman said. "Obviously, nobody likes to give up what we did, but we understand the way times are now. We have to do our part. And we believe we've done our part and fulfilled our obligation to the city."
The budget of each of the city's bargaining units was reduced by 6 percent to cover a $7.2 million budget shortfall. The city manager's office needed concessions from the police department that added up to $796,000. When the two sides couldn't agree in June, the city threatened to issue pink slips. But they came to a tentative agreement before the new city budget went into effect July 1.
In the ratified agreement, pay was reduced by one percent. Officers also gave up 35 hours or vacation time and 37 hours of holiday time.
