Aberdeen City Council approves union agreements for police, fire departments

Elisa Sand, Aberdeen News
·2 min read

The Aberdeen City Council has approved collective bargaining agreements for its police and fire unions that covers both 2023 and 2024.

Both agreements make salary and grid adjustments for the fire and police departments to recruit and retain employees. The agreements also convert vacation and sick leave benefits to paid time off and extended leave bank, which is comparable to general city employees.

The police agreement also includes an overtime compensation time election and a pay differential for the officer in charge. The fire agreement includes a definition for a probationary employee and revises step increases for firefighter-EMTs and firefighter-paramedics.

"We try our best to make sure they get level agreements," City Manager Joe Gaa said. The biggest change, he said, was getting vacation and sick leave converted to PTO.

Gaa
Gaa

Gaa said another goal is to ensure wages are market comparable.

"We're probably in the upper half on police and lower half on fire," he said referring to salaries.

The union agreements do not include the battalion chiefs, department chiefs, captains and administrators.

In other action, the council:

  • Approved various plats and rezoning requests, including one at 1801 Einsenhower Circle that rezones property to commercial for the development of a tea house. Planning and Zoning Director Brett Bill said the planning commission approved the rezoning request because they felt it was a fit with the neighboring properties. And, he said, any future changes to the property will have to go before the Planning Commission.

  • Approved the 2023-27 rental amounts for hangar areas at the Aberdeen Regional Airport starting at $0.25 per square foot in 2023 and increasing by 2 cents annually.

  • Approved an amended agreement with the South Dakota Department of Transportation extending a Ride Line contract through Sept 30, 2023.

  • Accepted all bids for snow removal services and rental equipment to be used as needed based on price. Public Works Director Robin Bobzien said the city will use all the equipment that's been bid in certain storms. While only one wrecker service submitted a bid, the other local wrecker services agreed to provide service at the price set by the city.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Aberdeen City Council approves union agreements