The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Council votes for firefighter pay raises
Lorain firefighters will receive a 3.66 percent pay raise in a plan to restructure the wages of the Lorain Fire Department.
On Oct. 12, Lorain City Council voted 11-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding between the city administration and the International Association of Fire Firefighters Local 267.
The plan eliminates the physical fitness incentive pay and makes that money part of the base salary of firefighters.
The result is a more competitive salary for Lorain firefighters, who already have a lower pay scale and smaller roster than departments in similarly sized cities, said Jonathon Stephanchick, president of Local 267.
Stephanchick spoke during the meeting, along with council members and elected officials who generally agreed they wanted to offer competitive salaries to retain good workers for Lorain in all of the departments.
But the issue also prompted debate about the “me too” clauses written into the contracts for some unionized city workers.
The police, fire and municipal unions have cited those clauses when arguing for changes or additions to pay or benefits, when other unions succeed in doing so.
The city leaders also touched on Lorain’s potential budget problems due to future uncertainty about revenues and expenses.
The council vote took place as part of a special meeting held for that legislation.
Running the numbers
Before that, Ward 4 Councilman Greg Argenti conducted a meeting of the Police, Fire and Legislative Committee, with all of council present, to consider information from City Auditor Karen Shawver.
The retroactive pay increases for firefighters will cost $321,625, Shawver said.
When enacted, the city administrators and managers also will be entitled to a 1.6667 percent raise, due to the “me too” clauses, she said.
That percentage represents the average of pay raises given to police, firefighters and municipal workers, Shawver said, and will cost another $110,000, for a total cost of $431,625.
In discussion, Stephanchick cited the pay, depart
ment rosters, populations of communities such as Elyria, Euclid, Parma, Lakewood and Hamilton. Lorain lags behind those cities in compensating firefighters, he said.
Jonathon Stephanchick cited the pay, department rosters, populations of communities such as Elyria, Euclid, Parma, Lakewood and Hamilton. Lorain lags behind those cities in compensating firefighters, he said.
Health risks
Local 267 Secretary Bret Brown also noted firefighters have higher risks of cancer due to exposure to harmful or toxic substances when houses or businesses are burning.
The city administration under Mayor Chase Ritenauer also changed the Police Department pay structure to attract and retain qualified officers, they said.
Argenti, Shawver, Ward 8 Councilman Joshua Thornsberry, Councilwoman-atLarge Mary Springowski, Councilmen-at-Large Tony Dimacchia and Mitch Fallis, Ward 6 Councilman Rey Carrion, Mayor Jack Bradley and Council President Joel Arredondo all commented on the need for fair treatment of workers while being fiscally responsible with Lorain’s city budget.
Council appreciates Shawver’s work because it makes the Council’s job easier, Argenti said.
Fallis suggested basing city contracts and budgets on projected future revenues, Argenti said, and he agreed Council does not know what’s ahead.
With new projects in planning or construction, the city has potential for increased revenue, he said.
Or, things may turn bad, Argenti said.
Public safety stands as a priority for Council, but other departments may have to suffer, he said.
“We are obligated first and foremost to provide the safety of our citizens, and I still stand by that and still say that,” Argenti said.
Based on the additional information from Shawver, Argenti said he was more on board with the pay changes for firefighters.
“But, we always need to keep an eye on the future and plan for the unexpected, and be prepared to deal with it,” he said.