By Nate Smith, Staff Writer
Washington’s firefighters brought their wage and benefit proposal to Monday’s City Council meeting and asked to maintain their current wages and staffing.
And not go down as many other cities are doing.
Dwayne Murphy of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 495, said the firefighters would ask for nothing in raises before the council met last Wednesday for budget hearing. The union met last Monday.
“We know times are tough and they are going to be real tough,” Murphy said. “We do request that you maintain our personnel staffing at the numbers we presently have.”
There are currently 16 firefighters employed by the city.
“This is not only critical for the city of Washington but for the firefighter’s safety,” Murphy said.
The union did ask for an extra paid holiday and an extra personal day. Murphy said local firefighters have not received an increase in days off for a while.
“We haven’t received any day for some 20 years,” Murphy said.
Murphy also asked for the council to come back to the union with an answer. The firefighters did not hear any answer the year before.
The proposal represents a turn in fortunes in the city as firefighters asked for a 5 percent raise in 2008, only to get 3 percent as did other city workers.
Last year, police and utility office workers also presented wage and benefit proposals. This year, those groups did not make any presentation before the council. Police Chief Steve Riney said after the council meeting the Fraternal Order of Police decided not to make a proposal this year because of the city’s budget crunch.
As of budget hearings last Wednesday, no city worker will get a raise in 2010. Also talked about last week was a change in working hours for police officers from an eight-hour to a 12-hour shift. Riney said that change was not going to happen in 2010.
Councilman Art Biddinger thanked the firefighters for thinking about the city during the budget season.
“You should have been in before we had the budget hearing,” Biddinger said. “We do appreciate consideration on the wages.”
Biddinger was taking the place of Mayor Larry Haag and Councilman Steve Dyer at Monday’s meeting, as both were absent.
Haag’s sister, Charlotte, passed away in Florida on Monday. Haag was with his family for the funeral arrangements. Dyer, the council president who would normally take over in the Mayor’s absence, was on vacation.
In other business:
BUDGET REDUCTIONS
The council heard and approved a resolution reducing this year’s budget by $457,042. The state Department of Local Government Finance froze the money because of property tax circuit breakers and officially had to remove the money. The money had already been off the city’s spending lists since March.
TRANSFERS
The council approved transfers in the Mayor and Council budget, about $550 in the Mayor and $1,400 in the council budget, for wages.
Clerk-treasurer Elaine Wellman said the transfer was needed to adjust for 27 pay periods in 2009.
ORDINANCES
The council passed the final reading of an change to strengthen the city’s vicious dog ordinance. The ordinance now states to walk a potentially vicious dog, a person has to be over the age of 18. Also, changes to leash requirements were made.
Also introduced was a zoning change ordinance. Daviess Community Hospital asked to change property around the hospital on three lots on 15th Street and Grand Avenue from residential to commercial. The hospital owns the property and plans to build a storage building on the vacant lots.
The council suspended the rules of order and passed the zoning change on its second reading.
STOP SIGN
Dixie Burton, 606 W. Main St., asked the council to place a stop sign at N.W. Fifth and W. Main streets. The Board of Public Works and Safety tabled Burton’s request.
“There’s a lot of speeders go through there and they shake the whole house,” Burton said.
Burton said children play through the area.
Police chief Steve Riney said he has officers checking speeds, but did not feel a stop sign was needed.
“I don’t think a four-way stop is the answer it is the enforcement of the speed (limit),” Riney said. “We will continue (patrol) as long as necessary.”
Street Commissioner Ernie Evans said a stop was also not wise on the main thoroughfare as Main Street. The request was tabled for Riney to collect more information.
SALARY CHANGES
The board approved two salary changes. Amy Haag, Mayor Larry Haag’s daughter, will move from part-time help at the Mayor’s office to the Assistant Manager of the Pool. She will be making $11.23 per hour for the shortened pool season.
Tim Burris will move from part-time to full-time maintenance worker in the Wastewater Department. He will be making full-time wages of $14 per hour.
POOL CHANGES
The board also approved two change orders at the soon-to-be opened water park.
A $2,138 increase was approved to finish full ventilation in the concession stands and hand dryers will be installed in the restrooms instead of paper towels. There was no change in dollars for the dryers.
