Published: November 05, 2008 01:28 am      

NORTH TONAWANDA: Council OKs union contract

Tuesday’s Common Council meeting was as busy as ever on election day, with a strong turnout, predominantly of students in the gallery.

Several important issues were raised or moved forward, including one to fund significant expansion of downtown North Tonawanda’s storm sewer system as a necessary step in realizing the Remington-Rand project on Sweeney Street.

About $120,000 was transferred from the general fund to bankroll the addition of a new storm sewer outflow there. City Engineer Dale Marshall had appealed to the council Oct. 15, saying the highly anticipated project to add a restaurant and loft apartments to the former Rand building could never pass the necessary environmental review without the work.

Also, a contract agreement was reached with AFSCME Local 515-A, the union representing members of the city’s department of public works.

Second-Ward Alderman Kevin Brick cast the lone “nay” vote to Tuesday’s approval of a memorandum of agreement with the union.

“We got a statement from the city accountant on what it’s going to cost the city for the contract and it’s roughly a half a million dollars from 2008 to 2011,” Brick said. “I’m not saying that the DPW is doing a bad job, but the way the economy is going the city is probably going to receive less aid and citizens don’t like it when their taxes go up.”

The agreement, negotiated between the city and the union over the course of ten meetings since March calls for about 16 changes to the current agreement, including an 11.5 percent hike in salaries over the course of the deal.

Salaries will increase 2.75 percent in 2008; a 3 percent flat raise, or 65 cents per hour, will take place in 2009 followed by another 2.75 percent in 2010 and culminating with another 3 percent the next year.

Several of the outlined changes actually specify increases in city spending. One, a two percent increase in the union dental plan, “amounts to an increase of $352.48.” The city has agreed to continue the amount paid toward a retiree’s medical coverage from age 65 to 75.

There was a one percent increase in the union optical plan, amounting to an increase of $85.09. Use of sick time will not affect the amount the city pays in medical insurance premiums, as long as a negotiating team determines the employee is eligible and has not abused sick time.

In addition, the city will agree to pay for unused sick time for retirees with at least 175 days accumulated sick leave, with a maximum of five days.

The city will pay an additional $549 for safety equipment.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

• A tax warrant was authorized to collect special assessments attached to the Briarwood subdivision project.

Notices for the city’s role in adding infrastructure to the project and surrounding area will be sent to residents of the potential lots to be sold as well as nearby residents. Thirteen parcels on Briarwood Drive and East Goundry Street total $449,742 in individual loan amounts resulting from the work and generally hovering near $20,000 apiece.

Keith Craigie, the company and the city of North Tonawanda itself account for another $93,339 in special assessments.

• Alex F. Domaradzki was filed as the city’s provisional appointment as the city’s youth center supervisor.

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.