City Council Approves New Contracts with Firefighters

Effingham City Council members Tuesday approved new contracts with city union employees and set the pay increase rate for non-union employees.

The City's hourly and salaried non-union employees were granted 2.5% pay increases retroactive to May 1, 2013.

Council members also approved a three-year agreement with Local 3084 of the Effingham Firefighters Association.  The contract is retroactive to May 1, 2013 and allows for the creation of a joint health insurance committee that will work annually on a cost-effective health insurance program for City employees and retirees.  The firefighters will receive a 2.5% increase for this first year of the agreement, 2% the second year and 2% for the third year.

Also approved was a three-year agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 26 retroactive to May 1, 2013.  This agreement also includes a 2.5% increase the first year and 2% in each of the final two years as well as work on the joint health insurance committee.  The contract covers City workers in the water, sewage treatment plant, water treatment plant, outside sewer and street, mechanics and public works areas.

Also Tuesday, the Council purchased right of way for an alley that will run from Wabash Avenue to near Kreke Avenue.  The alley is in the area of Huck's, Nuxoll Foods and the former Fedders complex being refurbished by Dial and Dial Properties.  Also approved was the repair of damaged sewer pipe along Avenue of Mid-America and along Wabash Avenue, and the replat of Villas of Holly Brook into two lots.  The bond was released on the Merchant Street reconstruction project since it has been completed, and some changes were approved on the Little Wabash River channel dam project west of town off Route 40.  The Council also accepted the audit of motor fuel taxes for 2012.

The Council approved modifications of several various personnel policy items and awarded a bid to John Flach Builders for $74,000 for work on roofs at buildings at the sewage treatment plant.

Council members also offered kudos to City employees involved in dealing with the aftermath of the winter storm that struck Sunday.  Many are still involved in efforts to help.