Council mulls pay raises for 8 on court clerk's staff

3/16/2005

Unionized supervisors in the clerk of Toledo Municipal Court's office would receive wage increases and additional city contributions toward their pensions under an agreement submitted yesterday to Toledo City Council.

Clerk of Courts Vallie Bowman-English briefed council on the proposed settlement with eight supervisory employees represented by United Auto Workers Local 12.

The agreement calls for 2 percent increases on Feb. 1, 2006, and Feb. 1, 2007, with a 1 percent lump-sum payment in 2007. That will bring the supervisors' base hourly wage from $19.30 now to $20.08 in 2007, according to the ordinance introduced to council.

In addition, the city will increase its share of the employees' 8.5 percent pension contribution from 4.5 percent now to 5.75 percent by July 1, 2007.

Ms. Bowman-English said the employees' last pay raise was 3 percent in January, 2004. The new agreement was ratified by employees on Feb. 24.

The ordinance is expected to be considered at council's next regular meeting, on Tuesday.

Council was also briefed on a proposed $5.4 million contract with SAP Public Services Inc. of Washington, and other contractors, to replace the city's water and sewer billing system.

Patsy Scott, director of information services, said the city has used the same hardware and software in its billing of 130,000 city customers since 1984.

The contract ordinance will be on council's agenda for a possible vote on Tuesday.

According to the legislation, SAP was selected from six vendors who responded to a request for proposals.

Ms. Scott said the computer upgrade would be paid for out of the water replacement fund, which is supported by utility rates.

She said if the contract is awarded by May, the computer system would be replaced over a seven-month period. She said one outcome of the new system could be conversion from quarterly to monthly billing.