CARBONDALE - The city and its police officers have a new deal.
City council approved a seven-year collective bargaining agreement with the police union at a special meeting Monday.
The agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 63, comes after three officers accepted early retirement agreements last month. Sgt. Joe Laguzzi, Capt. Joseph Pilcavage and Detective Sgt. Jesse VanDeusen all opted to take the retirement incentive.
The new contract will include no raise in the first year, a 2 percent raise in the second and third years, a 2.5 percent raise in the fourth year, 3 percent raise in the fifth and sixth years and a 3.5 percent raise in the seventh year.
The contract reduced the number of sergeants from five to four and reduced the number of full-time officers from 12 to eight. The force currently employs nine, but the next full-time officer to retire will not be replaced.
A provision also was made to lock in three part-time officers to serve 32 hours a week, for 50 weeks, at $15 per hour. Council President Kathleen Connor explained that other part-time officers will still be employed and used.
She said she was pleased with the raise schedule and length of the contract. She complimented Mayor Justin Taylor and the negotiating teams for working together to develop the contract.
"They've done a great job trying to right-size the department and make sure that the public is guaranteed complete safety," she said.
Council members Gerald Arnese, Joseph Marzzacco and John Gigliotti were absent from the meeting, but Mr. Gigliotti emailed his support after the meeting.
"I believe this agreement will mutually benefit both sides and will certainly, along with other planning strategies implemented by the city, help the city in striving toward a more balanced budget," he said.
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter