Waterville council approves union contract

2/25/2013

Waterville City Council tonight unanimously approved two-year union contract agreements with the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association representing the city's sergeant's and patrol units.

“[The collective bargaining agreement] was the main thing tonight,” Waterville Mayor Lori Brodie said after the city council meeting Monday. “They have been working on this for awhile.”

She declined to talk details of the contract until it was officially signed, which she expects at council's next meeting, March 11. Union representatives were not present at the meeting.

The city and union have only been negotiating a short while, since Waterville changed from a village to a city in 2011, after a population surged past 5,000 people in the 2010 U.S. Census.

In August 2012, city council rejected a fact-finder's report that would have given police a 3 percent salary bump in January, 2013, and another 3 percent increase the following year. After that they brought in a conciliator, who was to issue a legally binding opinion that can be overturned only in the court system.

The OPBA represents six Waterville patrolmen in one unit and three Waterville sergeants in another unit.

Council also approved a tentative collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 20. It was unclear how many city employees are represented under Teamsters.

Waterville City Administrator James Bagdonas declined to comment after the meeting.