Meeting Minutes: City Council Special Meeting
Meeting Date: [Date not specified in transcript, please insert] Governing Body: City Council Type of Meeting: Special Meeting Attendees: Councilor Lance Davis (Presiding), Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen, Councilor Matt McLaughlin, Councilor Willie Burnley, Councilor Naima Sait, Councilor Kristen Strezo, Councilor Jesse Clingan, Councilor Will Mbah. Absent: Councilor Jake Wilson, Councilor J.T. Scott. Clerk: [Name not specified in transcript, please insert]
Executive Summary
The City Council convened a special meeting to address three key financial matters. The primary actions included the appropriation of funds for two collective bargaining agreements: one for the Somerville Police Superior Officers Association and another for the Service Employees International Union Local 3 school custodians. Additionally, the Council approved payment for prior year invoices for arbitration services. All items were approved unanimously by the Councilors present.
Agenda Item 7.1: Appropriation for Somerville Police Superior Officers Association Collective Bargaining Agreement
- Request: Mayor's request for the appropriation of $654,019 from the salary contingency account to various police department personal services accounts.
- Purpose: To fund a collective bargaining agreement with the Somerville Police Superior Officers Association.
- Discussion:
- Matt Sergue, Labor Council, presented the agreement, noting it mirrors the police patrol contract approved in May.
- Key provisions of the agreement:
- 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in the first year.
- 3% COLAs in the second and third years.
- 2% market adjustments in each year of the contract.
- Inclusion of civilian detail language, completing the framework for the civilian detail program.
- Slight increase to hazardous duty pay.
- Increase to the detail rate for sworn officers.
- Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval.
- Outcome: Approved. (See combined vote for all items below).
Agenda Item 7.2: Appropriation for Service Employees International Union Local 3 School Custodians Memorandum of Agreement
- Request: Mayor's request for the appropriation of $77,400 from the salary contingency account to the Department of Public Works school custodian's salaries account.
- Purpose: To fund a memorandum of agreement with Service Employees International Union Local 3 school custodians.
- Discussion:
- Matt Sergue, Labor Council, explained that this agreement addresses wage adjustments following a city-wide wage and compensation study.
- The previous contract included a wage re-opener provision contingent on the study's completion.
- Key provisions of the agreement:
- A 2% market adjustment added to all steps of the salary scale in Fiscal Year 2025.
- An additional 2% market adjustment for Step 10 (top step) in Fiscal Year 2025, resulting in a 4% total market adjustment for this step.
- Effective June 30, 2025, recalibration of the wage scale to incorporate 2% steps instead of 1% steps, addressing salary compression and ensuring competitiveness with peer positions (specifically referencing SMEU building custodians).
- Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval.
- Outcome: Approved. (See combined vote for all items below).
Agenda Item 7.3: Approval to Pay Prior Year Invoices for Arbitration Services
- Request: Mayor's request for approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $375.
- Purpose: To cover arbitration services using available funds in the human resources, professional and technical services account.
- Discussion:
- Anne Gill, Director of Human Resources, explained that the invoices were for services rendered in June 2024 but not received until 2025.
- The delay was attributed to a transition period where HR transferred funds to the Law Department, which will now handle these payments.
- Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval.
- Outcome: Approved. (See combined vote for all items below).
Combined Vote on Agenda Items 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3
The City Council conducted a single roll call vote for the following items:
- Item 25-1273: Appropriating $654,019 from salary contingency to police.
- Item 25-1275: Appropriating $77,400 from salary contingency to DPW.
- Item 25-1272: $375 prior year invoice for human resources.
Roll Call Vote:
- Councilor Wilson: Yes
- Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes
- Councilor Scott: (Absent)
- Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
- Councilor Burnley: Aye
- Councilor Sait: Yes
- Councilor Strezo: Yes
- Councilor Clingan: Yes
- Councilor Mbah: Yes
- Councilor Davis: Yes
Outcome: Approved (8 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 absent).
Adjournment
- Motion: Councilor Burnley moved to adjourn the meeting.
Roll Call Vote on Adjournment:
- Councilor Wilson: Yes
- Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes
- Councilor Scott: (Absent)
- Councilor McLaughlin: Yes
- Councilor Burnley: Aye
- Councilor Sait: Aye
- Councilor Strezo: Yes
- Councilor Clingan: Yes
- Councilor Mbah: Yes
- Councilor Davis: Yes
Outcome: Approved (8 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 absent). The meeting was adjourned.