City Council - Ordinance Committee

City of Chicopee City Council Ordinance Committee Approved 1-10-2023 Members James Tillotson, Chair Fred Krampits, Vice Chair Derek Dobosz Gary Labrie Jerry Roy MINUTES November 7, 2022 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Monday, November 7, 2022 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, 4th Floor, City Hall, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present: Tillotson, Krampits, Dobosz, Labrie, Roy Also Present: Dan Garvey (Associate City Solicitor), Councilor Laflamme, Councilor Zygarowski, Councilor López, Councilor Pniak-Costello, Sharon Riley (City Auditor), Paul Winspeare (Chief of Human Resources) The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM Some of the audio in inaudible In compliance with the open meeting laws the Chairman asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. ITEM #1 Chapter 7 Ordinance Revisions Group 1 A. Mayor $ 85,000.00 103,500.00 (effective 1/4/22) 122,000.00 (effective 1/1/23) B. President of the City Council 13,000.00 15,000.00 (effective 1/1/24) C. City Councilors (12) 12,000.00 (each) 14,000.00 (each) (effective 1/1/24) D. Vice Chairman of School Committee 6,500.00 8,000.00 (effective 1/1/24) E. School Committee Members 6,000.00 (each) 7,500.00 (each) (effective 1/1/24) F. Assessors (3) 60,000.00 68,613.50 (effective 1/4/22) 77,227.00 (effective 1/1/23) 1  G. Treasurer 75,000.00 83,500.00 (effective 1/4/22) 92,000.00 (effective 1/1/23) H. Collector 65,000.00 74,750.00 (effective 1/4/22) 84,500.00 (effective 1/1/23) I. City Clerk 65,000.00 71,250.00 (effective 1/4/22) 77,500.00 (effective 1/1/23) J. Law Department a. City Solicitor $68,850.00 (effective 7/1/22) b. Assistant City Solicitor 62,220.00 (effective 7/1/22) c. Associate City Solicitor (2) 56,100.00 (each)(effective 7/1/22) d. Council – Legal Counsel 56,100.00 (effective 7/1/22) e. Chief of Litigation/Labor Relations 65,280.00 (effective 7/2/22) Group 1 employees as defined above shall also be entitled to receive longevity as defined by the Administrative Employees Collective Bargaining Unit/Agreement, Health-Dental-Eye Insurance and Retirement. Group 1 salaries for the Mayor, Treasurer, Collector, Clerk, Assessor(s), President of the City Council, City Councilors (12), Vice Chairman of the School Committee, and School Committee members shall be adjusted in Fiscal Years ending in zero (0) and six (6) by the sum of the preceding three (3) year’s percentage wage increases for the Administrative Employees Collective Bargaining Unit/Agreement. Councilor Tillotson stated that this is a raise based on a formula. The first section has to do with increasing the salaries for the School Committee and the City Council. The second piece is tying us to some other source in order to determine the next time we get a raise, they would be automatic. Paul Winspeare stated that the first part references the scale or the schedule for the wage increases. Councilor Tillotson stated just the City Council and the School Committee. Paul Winspeare stated at the time this wage study was conducted which was in December 2020, It provided a formula that bench mark all positions within group one of chapter 7 ordinance to a set wage amount. So this is adjusting compensation for the Councilors and the School Committee, using the same formula for every elected official. The second part speaks to a systematic formulation for a cost-of-living adjustment to be applied. The first part of this order it would take the President of the City Council from thirteen thousand to fifteen thousand, effective 1/1/2024. The City Council from twelve thousand to fourteen thousand effective 1/1/2024. He stated that the first one realigns you to be competitive with the market. We conducted a visualized wage study compared to where we were with other like positions. Councilor Tillotson stated his concern now is to see if the City Council wants to accept the 1/24/2022 increase. Paul Winspeare stated that there should be some systematic approach about how compensation is levied for all. What you have before you is a breakdown that provides samples of the options that were provided to you. Option one means that you take the administrative contract and you apply under the years ending in zero six, this is to justify or offset the fact that different elected officials run elections in different cycles. The increase is applied to the position not the person tied to it. Option two proposes that the Council adopt a set percentage that stays consistent and is put into the 2 ordinance and it’s a tied COLA until something is reviewed. Option 3 we assess the PCI what the inflation rate is in Massachusetts, and you tie the COLA to that. These are simply designed to give you options. Councilor Krampits stated on the cost-of-living adjustment there’s the three options, will all the elected officials be tied to that or could you break it up. Can some elected officials be on option one and two. Paul Winspeare stated that is very possible. Councilor López stated in order to keep it fair across the board she thinks option one ties us to the same increase as everyone else. Councilor Pniak-Costello stated do other cities and towns follow any of these formulas. Paul Winspeare stated that this is a brand-new thing for Western Massachusetts. We aligned our assessment and our approach to the most consistent and objective way possible. To say there’s a system in place, that’s not typically the status quo. He stated we’ve adjusted just about every group. Councilor Pniak-Costello agrees with Councilor López on option one because that is the fairest option that we could address. Councilor Pniak-Costello stated that if the teachers’ pay is different than the custodians, how would we apply this with the School Committee. She stated there is so many different unions within the schools probably more than within the city. Paul Winspeare stated If any of these bargain amounts came with an amount that wasn’t financially responsible for the city to agree to. Sharon Riley stated that the way the ordinance is written they are tying it to the city admins union. She stated that a lot of the time school department raises are hirer than the city. Paul Winspeare stated he sat in on all these negotiations for the city. If any of these bargaining units came with an amount that wasn’t financially responsible for the city to agree to, we would bargain against that for it to be fair. This was to give ideas but the choice is yours. They seem logical at the time based on the data that was presented. Counselor López stated that at this point they don’t tie it to the teacher’s union or any of that. The first option ties everyone to the same exact administrative group so that everyone’s getting the same raise. Sharon Riley stated in a perfect world everyone gets a two percent raise. That’s not what’s happening. She stated that the lower paid employees got a raise to bring them in line and the employees that were paid more did not get so much. She stated it certainly makes sense to tie it to admins. She stated in the last contract they got a different kind of boost from thirty-five up to forty hours. Paul Winspeare stated if you had a salary of eighty thousand and we tied it to the admin contract and the three prior years from that year was two-two and two, collectively that’s six percent. So if you took eighty thousand dollars and added six percent you go from eighty thousand to eighty-four thousand eight hundred. The formulas are consistent, so the next time you just apply the formula. Councilor López stated she would rather go with the COLA raise every year. A steady one percent increase instead of a six percent over six years. Sharon Riley stated that there are national laws when you can vote raises for the Mayor and City Council. Paul Winspeare stated we could do it every three years. Sharon Riley stated that is what’s happening now. Admins have two-two-two and it’s not even keeping up with cost of living Paul Winspeare stated a two-year cycle is at the end of one’s term. Councilor Krampits stated what is the average length of a contract. Paul Winspeare stated a three-year contract. 3 Sharon Riley stated to remember when you’re tying it to the admins. That the raises for the City Council are listed here as calendar year and our collective bargaining goes on a fiscal year. Councilor Dobosz motion to approve – Councilor Tillotson 2nd the motion – motion approved Roll Call Vote Yes No Tillotson X Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy X Motion passed. AMENDED VERSION BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED THAT CHAPTER 7 OF THE ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OF CHICOPEE IS HEREBY AMENDED BY INSERTING THE FOLLOWING ANNUAL SALARIES AND BENEFITS AS DETAILED BELOW: CHAPTER 7 Group 1 A. Mayor $ 85,000.00 103,500.00 (effective 1/4/22) 122,000.00 (effective 1/1/23) B. President of the City Council 13,000.00 15,000.00 (effective 1/1/24) C. City Councilors (12) 12,000.00 (each) 14,000.00 (each) (effective 1/1/24) D. Vice Chairman of School Committee 6,500.00 8,000.00 (effective 1/1/24) E. School Committee Members 6,000.00 (each) 7,500.00 (each) (effective 1/1/24) F. Assessors (3) 60,000.00 68,613.50 (effective 1/4/22) 4  77,227.00 (effective 1/1/23) G. Treasurer 75,000.00 83,500.00 (effective 1/4/22) 92,000.00 (effective 1/1/23) H. Collector 65,000.00 74,750.00 (effective 1/4/22) 84,500.00 (effective 1/1/23) I. City Clerk 65,000.00 71,250.00 (effective 1/4/22) 77,500.00 (effective 1/1/23) J. Law Department a. City Solicitor $68,850.00 (effective 7/1/22) b. Assistant City Solicitor 62,220.00 (effective 7/1/22) c. Associate City Solicitor (2) 56,100.00 (each) (effective 7/1/22) d. Council – Legal Counsel 56,100.00 (effective 7/1/22) e. Chief of Litigation/Labor Relations 65,280.00 (effective 7/2/22) Group 1 employees as defined above shall also be entitled to receive longevity as defined by the Administrative Employees Collective Bargaining Unit/Agreement, Health-Dental-Eye Insurance and Retirement. Group 1 salaries for the Mayor, Treasurer, Collector, Clerk, Assessor(s), President of the City Council, City Councilors (12), Vice Chairman of the School Committee, and School Committee members shall be adjusted every three years, effective July 1, 2024, by the sum of the preceding three (3) year’s percentage wage increases for the Administrative Employees Collective Bargaining Unit/Agreement. Group 2 K. Office of the City Council a. Administrative Assistant $53,841.69 Grade 6 b. Clerk 36,558.27 Grade 3 L. Office of the Mayor a. Chief of Staff $69,321.60 Grade 8 b. Staff Assistant 57,336.48 Grade 5 5  c. Special Projects Manager 56,208.96 Grade 5 d. Part Time Community & Constituent Liaison 18,146.47 Grade 5 M. Auditing Department a. Senior Accountant (40 hrs) $78,091.20 Grade 8 b. Budget Analyst (40 hrs) 78,091.20 Grade 8 N. Office of the Treasurer a. Assistant Treasurer (40 hrs) $74,646.00 Grade 8 b. Special Projects Manager (40 hrs) 48,713.04 Grade 5 O. Law Department a. Paralegal (1) $64,018.08 Grade 6 b. Paralegal (1) 58,192.56 Grade 6 P. Human Resources a. Assistant Director (40 hrs) $61,261.92 Grade 8 b. Benefits Coordinator (40 hrs) 59,612.40 Grade 6 c. Senior Generalist (40 hrs) 55,666.08 Grade 7 d. Administrative Assistant (40 hrs) 30,567.36 Grade 4 e. Generalist (40 hrs) 46,038.24 Grade 6 Q. Office of the City Clerk a. Compliance Officer $24,576.80 Grade 4 R. Planning Department a. Development Manager $62,501.67 Grade 8 Group 2 employees as defined above shall also be entitled to receive those benefits as defined by the Administrative Employees Collective bargaining Unit/Agreement and will follow the non-union personnel wage scale effective July 1, 2018. Group 3 T. Auditing Department a. Assistant Auditor – Stipend $ 4,000.00 U. Office of the Treasurer a. Assistant Treasurer – Stipend $ 4,000.00 V. Office of the Registrar a. Board of Registrar’s (3) $ 1,000.00 each W. Liquor License Commission a. Chairman $ 700.00 6  b. Commissioners (4) 600.00 each X. Planning Department a. Environmental Stipend $10,000.00 Y. Council on Aging a. Sub. Transportation Coordinator $ 4,371.00 Grade 1 Z. DPW Administration a. City Safety Program Stipend $ 10,000.00 AA. City Hall Maintenance a. City Messenger Stipend $ 3,000.00 BB. Management Information System – Chicopee T.V. a. Part-Time Television Production Director $ 25.00 per hour b. Junior Internship Student Camera Operator 15.00 per hour CC. City Clerk a. Clerk of Board $ 8,000.00 Group 3 employees as defined above shall NOT be entitled to any additional benefits. The following positions shall be established by the City of Chicopee along with the following hourly rate of pay as detailed below: Group 4 Z. Library Department a. Part Time Page $ 14.25 per hour b. Circulation Clerk (On-call) 14.25 per hour AA. Engineering Department a. Seasonal Jr. Engineer $ 14.25 per hour BB. Highway Department a. Temporary Laborer $ 14.25 per hour CC. Sanitation Department a. Temporary Laborer $ 14.25 per hour b. Waste Reduction Enforcement Officer 19.00 per hour DD. Parks Department a. Temporary Laborer $ 14.25 per hour EE. Flood Control Department a. Temporary Laborer $ 14.25 per hour 7  FF. Golf Department a. Seasonal Golf Assistants $ 14.25 per hour b. Pro-Shop Assistant 14.50 per hour c. Cashiers 14.50 per hour GG. Water Department a. Seasonal Employees $ 14.25 per hour b. Intern 14.25 per hour HH. Waste Water Treatment Plant a. Temporary Laborer $ 14.25 per hour b. Intern 14.25 per hour II. Parks & Recreation Department a. Ranger $ 14.25 per hour b. Special Care Taker 14.25 per hour c. Lifeguard 14.25 per hour d. Head Lifeguard 19.00 per hour e. Leader of Recreation/Art 18.00 per hour f. Assistant Recreation Leaders 15.00 per hour g. Youth Basketball Scorekeeper 1/game (Age 9-10) 14.25 per game h. Youth Basketball Scorekeeper 1/game (Age 11-12) 15.25 per game i. Youth Basketball Scorekeeper 1/game (Age 13-14) 17.00 per game j. Youth Basketball Referee 2/game (Age 9-10) 15.25 per game k. Youth Basketball Referee 2/game (Age 11-12) 19.00 per game l. Youth Basketball Referee 2/game (Age 13-14) 22.75 per game m. Youth Soccer Referee 2/game (Age 9-10) 14.25 per game n. Youth Soccer Referee 2/game (Age 11-12) 15.25 per game o. Youth Soccer Referee 2/game (Age 13-14) 17.00 per game p. Youth Baseball Umpire 1/game (Age 8-10) or 3rd-4th grade 29.50 per game q. Youth Baseball Umpire 1/game (Age 11-12) or 5th-6th grade 36.00 per game r. Youth Baseball Umpire 1/game (Age 13-14) or 7th-8th grade 41.75 per game s. Youth Softball Umpire 1/game (Age 8-10) or 3rd-4th grade 29.50 per game t. Youth Softball Umpire 1/game (Age 11-12) or 5th-6th grade 36.00 per game u. Youth Softball Umpire 1/game (Age 13-14) or 7th-8th grade 41.75 per game v. Camp Director 20.50 per hour w. Assistant Director 19.00 per hour x. Specialist 18.00 per hour y. Senior Counselors 16.00 per hour z. Junior Counselors 15.00 per hour aa. Aquatics Director 20.50 per hour bb. Lifeguard Instructor 18.00 per hour cc. Intern 14.25 per hour JJ. Police Department a. Special Patrolmen $ 15.00 per hour 8  KK. MIS Department a. Intern $ 17.00 per hour LL. Law Department a. Legal Intern (2) $ 15.00 per hour MM. Planning Department a. Intern (2) $ 17.50 per hour OO. Human Resources a. Temporary Clerk $ 14.25 per hour b. Pandemic Response Clerk 15.00 per hour c. Pandemic Response Nurse 40.00 per hour d. Pandemic Response Lead Nurse 50.00 per hour PP. City Clerk a. Wardens $ 160.00 per day b. Clerks 140.00 per day c. Inspectors 120.00 per day d. Set-up Workers 130.00 per day QQ. Registrars a. Census Takers $ 19.00 per hour b. Election Recount Workers 20.00 per hour Any person hired to assist with an Election Recount should be compensated $20/hr. Any current employees of the city assisting with a recount should be excluded from this ordinance and paid at their current wage rate. Group 4 employees as defined above shall NOT be entitled to any additional benefits. Group 5 A. Police Chief B. Fire Chief The regular, full-time Fire Chief and the regular, full-time Police Chief of the City of Chicopee shall receive an annual compensation which shall not be less than (2) times the highest annual rate of compensation of a regular, full-time firefighter, or a regular, full time police officer or patrolman, as the case may be. In addition, parity shall be maintained relative to compensation rates paid to the Police Chief and the Fire Department Chief for the City of Chicopee. The highest annual rate of regular, full time firefighter, or a regular full time police officer or patrolman, is to be construed and interpreted as the “base rate” and shall not include any other additional forms of compensation and, if given this definition, the rates of the Fire Chief and the Police Chief would mathematically come out to different levels of compensation, then the lower rate shall be adjusted to the higher rate in order to maintain parity between the two Department Heads. 9 Group 5 employees as defined above shall also be entitled to receive those benefits as defined by the Patrolmen and Firefighter Collective bargaining Unit/Agreement. Said ordinance to be effective upon passage. Councilor Krampits motion to approve the amended version – Councilor Tillotson 2nd the motion – motion passed Roll Call Vote Yes No Tillotson X Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy X Motion passed. ITEM #2 Councilor Dobosz motion to approve the minutes of October 11, 2022 – Councilor 2nd the motion – motion passed Roll Call Vote Yes No Tillotson X Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy X Motion passed. Councilor Labrie motion to adjourn – Councilor 2nd the motion – motion passed Roll Call Vote Yes No Tillotson X Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy X Motion passed. 10 Meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM 11