A new five-year contract between the City of Jefferson and the local union was recently ratified and approved.

The Jefferson City Council approved the contract at their most recent meeting Tuesday, following ratification from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local Council 61. The main point of interest was wages for the police department and all other city employees. The new contract stipulates for the police department that officers and sergeants will receive a $2,500 increase in base pay starting January 1st, with an additional 4.5-percent increase at the beginning of the next fiscal year on July 1st. The next two fiscal years each have a 4.25-percent increase, with the last two years to be negotiated. 

Likewise, the other city employees will receive a 4.5-percent increase on January 1st, followed by a four-percent increase on July 1st. The next two fiscal years will each have a three-percent increase, with the final two years to be negotiated. City Administrator Mike Palmer talks about how the negotiation process was this year compared to previous negotiations.

“This one took a lot more research and the justification to adjust the wages. Previous years it was pretty much just focused on wages. There was very, very little negotiation (with) both sides just agree to what the percentage would be.”

The push to deliver a new five-year contract by the end of the calendar year was due to the City Council urging the City staff to address the police department wages back in September as a way to solve the turnover rate within that department. Palmer believes the finalized contract is satisfactory to both sides.

“Their union did ratify the contract. They needed to ratify before the Council would approve it. We worked a lot on the different wages and wage scales. So I firmly believe that it addressed the issue.”

The contract is valid for the next five fiscal years through 2026.