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B. The City also agrees to purchase and make available the textbooks
used in firefighting courses, which textbooks shall be retained by the department
after use by individual employees.

C. The City will retmburse employees for one hundred percent (100%) of
the total tuition and laboratory fees paid by employees from their own funds, for
the successful completion of job-related courses, as well as courses leading to the
granting of degrees in Fire Science, within the budget allowed. Successful
completion is defined as a grade of "C" or above for undergraduate studies and a
grade of "B" or above for graduate studies. The City shall budget $20,750 for
fiscal year 2020and thereafter shall increase the budgeted amount by $1,000 each
year beginning in fiscal year 2021 if the budget line for this benefit has a balance
of $1,000 or less at the end of each full fiscal year.

Courses not directly related to present job function but are functions
performed by other personnel in the department, the City will reimburse up to 50%
of the total tuition and laboratory fees paid by the employees from their own funds
upon successful completion.

D. —Anemployee who desires to participate in this benefit must secure the
approval of the Chief or his/her designee, the Human Resources Department, and
the Comptroller, on the form provided by the Human Resources Department, with
due consideration of the budgetary limitations in Paragraph C, above.

E. Satisfactory completion of all educational courses shall be
documented in the personnel records of each employee.

F. For purposes of determining participation in specialty educational
courses/classes, the administration shall make available such courses/classes and
proportion attendance between officers and firefights at a 1:5 ratio (officers to fire
fighters) provided nothing shall prohibit the administration from varying this ratio
if there are insufficient numbers from either group to meet the ratio.

Article 32 - INSURANCE
A.1. Subject to the provisions of this Article, the City, upon the request of

an eligible member, shall provide to an employee the amount of the premium
specified below for individual, two-person or family plan, of one of the following:

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(a) Point of Service Plan;

(b) HMO Plan; or

(c) The City may make additional plans available to members with
benefit levels and premium cost sharing determined by the City
in its sole discretion.

The option of the health care plan is at the sole discretion of the City. It is
agreed by all parties that the City reserves and shall have the right to change
insurance carriers provided the benefits to participants are comparable and the City
elects the least expensive plan available to provide such benefits.

Should the City determine that it is in the best interests of the City to offer a
“comparable” plan to either option “a” or “b”’, it shall provide at least one hundred
twenty (120) days prior written notice to the Union and documentation of the cost
to members and the benefits that will provided under the comparable plan. Should
the Union determine that the proposed plan is not comparable, the grievance shall
not be subject to the grievance procedure and shall be submitted directly for
arbitration no later than thirty (30) days after the Union is notified of the proposed
change to the comparable plan. The grievance shall be heard in an expedited

manner. The decision of the arbitrator shall be binding on both parties.

Comparable Plan Definition: for the purposes of this Article, a comparable
plan means one that offers the same type of benefits, but benefits do not have to be
exactly the same. In addition, the plan must provide reasonable access to health
services and physicians, including specialists and hospitals.

Spouse Rule: Employees who are married to another employee of the city
who also subscribes to a plan will be subject to this rule. This rule requires that an
eligible member whose spouse is covered by another City health care plan elect the
policy under which the eligible member and spouse shall receive health care
benefits. An eligible member and spouse shall not be entitled to receive benefits
under separate City health care plans.

A.2. CITY CONTRIBUTIONS:

Effective October 1, 2011: For eligible members, effective October 1,
2011, the City shall contribute 70% of the premium of option (a) and 80% of the
premium of option (b). Upon the signing of this agreement, option (a) and option
(b) plans offered by the City shall include the following minimum co-pays:

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(a) Twenty Dollars ($20.00) per medical visit;

(b) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per emergency room hospital
visit;

(c) Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) Per Person, Five
Hundred Dollars ($500.00) Per 2-Person/Family Inpatient/
Outpatient Facility Deductible; and

(d) Three Tier Pharmacy Benefit of $5/$15/$35 ($5/$30/$70 Mail
Order).

For employees hired after July 1, 2002 the City shall, upon request of an
eligible employee, provide an individual, two person or family plan for HMO or a
City plan offered under option “c’. Such employees shall, during the enrollment
period next following their first anniversary and annually thereafter during the
open enrollment period, have the night to transfer to the point of service plan at the
contribution rate set forth above or to a City plan offered under option “c’”. The

contribution rate for all HMO employees shall be the same as provided for above.

A.3. For the duration of this Agreement, either party to the Agreement may
request that a Joint Labor/Management Committee be convened to consider the
performance of the aforementioned plans, any changes thereto.

A.4. Any eligible member of the bargaining unit requesting initial
membership in a plan may enter during a specified enrollment period. Any eligible
member desiring to select a different plan may make such a change only during the
annual enrollment period and subject to the conditions set forth in Section A.2.
Eligible members moving into or out of the HMO or point of service are may
change plans within a specified period after such move to the extent permitted by
the plans and in accordance with any other conditions set forth above in A.2.

A.5. ANNUAL AUDIT - The City of Nashua hereby agrees to conduct a
yearly loss ratio analysis of all Health Insurance plans offered to employees and
return all employee overpayments in the form of a Health Insurance Premium
Holiday at the completion of the analysis.

B. LIFE INSURANCE - The City agrees to participate in a double
indemnity life insurance program by paying 100% of the premiums for employees
only. The amount of coverage shall be one times the employee's base salary,
rounded to the nearest thousand. Each employee may at his/her option elect to
purchase an amount of life insurance coverage equal to the base amount by paying
100% of the premiums.

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C. DENTAL INSURANCE - The City agrees to pay 100% of the
premiums for dental insurance coverage under the plan in effect for members as of
January 1, 2008. Coverage is to be provided by the current carrier used by the City
at the time of the signing of this Agreement (Northeast Delta Dental). The City
reserves the option to change insurance carriers, upon negotiation with the Union,
and on the condition that the coverage provided has overall comparability to that
which is currently provided.

Members may also elect, as an option, to enroll in the dental plan offered to
merit employees, but shall be responsible for paying the difference between the
cost of a two-person plan and family plan if electing coverage under a family plan.

D. After January 1, 2003 the City will not be responsible for paying the
difference between the fees of non-participating dentists and the fees agreed to by
participating dentists and the current insurance carrier. Until January 1, 1990 the
current policy of the City paying the difference shall continue.

E. LONG-TERM DISABILITY

Part-Time Employees: Part-Time employees are not eligible for Long
Term Disability Coverage.

Full-Time Employees: Full-Time employees covered by this Agreement are
eligible for coverage under the City's Long-Term Disability Plan. This benefit is
subject to federal income tax and covers only non-job-related illnesses/injuries.
There shall be no cost to the employee for this benefit. All applicable definitions,
rules for employee participation and benefit conditions and payments shall be
governed by the City of Nashua’s “Non-contributory Disability Income Plan For
Qualified Employees” and any amendments as may be amended by the City from
time to time.

Article 33 — MILEAGE

Effective with the date of execution of this Agreement, all employees shall be paid
at Internal Revenue Service current rate per mile when they are specifically
required to use their personal automobiles on department business. This shall
include out-of-town travel to educational and training programs required to
maintain employment, except those required as a condition of initial employment.
It shall also include use of the employee's vehicle in changing stations, when the
employee arrived at the first station as originally scheduled. No payment for

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mileage will be made when an employee uses a personal vehicle in going from the
employee's home to a station to pick up clothing and equipment, and then to a
multiple alarm fire. Claims for mileage payments will be made on a form provided
by the Department, shall be kept on a weekly basis, and will be paid monthly by
the City provided the weekly forms are submitted on or before the 20th day of each
month.

Article 34 - WORKING OUT OF CLASSIFICATION

A. — Any person covered by this Agreement who is required to accept and
perform the duties and responsibilities of a position or rank higher than that which
he or she normally holds, shall be paid at the probationary rate for that position or
rank while so acting, provided he or she so acts for at least four hours.

B. — Any person covered by this Agreement who is asked to perform work
at a task not covered by the job description of the position or rank which that
person normally holds, or by the job description of a position or rank higher than
that which the person normally holds, shall be paid at a rate 5% above the person's
normal pay rate for the time actually worked, provided he or she works for at least
four hours.

C. The third ranking specialist shall not be paid for working out of
classification if he/she is working alone, unless this situation exists for more than
five consecutive days.

D. When a Captain, Captain Training/Safety, or Superintendent is absent
for an entire regularly scheduled work week (4 — 10 hr days, 2 days/2 nights) for
any reason, the next senior employee will be paid “acting pay” consistent with
paragraph A above. This paragraph D will not limit the requirement to pay
individuals as the need arises on a day to day basis throughout all ranks as
provided in paragraph A above.

Article 35 - BULLETIN BOARDS

The City agrees to provide space for suitable bulletin boards in convenient places
in each station and work area, to be used by the Union. The Union shall limit its
posting of notices and bulletins to each bulletin board. The Union agrees to
maintain such bulletin boards in a neat and orderly condition to the satisfaction of
the Captain in charge of the station.

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Article 36 - ASSIGNMENTS

A. — The Chief or his/her designee has the right to transfer, for just cause,
employees assigned under this clause.

B. Regional Haz Mat Team

All Team members will be full time NFR members. The team may be designated
as “Regional” used on a “Mutual Aid” basis.

MEDICAL SCREENING:

Any member who is interested in serving on the “Haz Mat Team” will consent to
being medially screened by the designated Physician. The medical screening will
be designed to evaluate the member’s fitness for HAZ MAT team assignment. The
complete screening criteria will be made available for the member’s review before
the screening takes place.

Each year prior to the “Medical Screening” members will agree in writing to
participate with the “Haz Mat Team” for the fiscal year following the Medical
Screening

Medical test and all results will be kept confidential between the Physician and the
member. If after the medical screening the member chooses to be an active team
participant, then those medical records will be maintained and supervised by the
team’s designated physician, facility or agency.

PROCEDURE:

Initial training to Technician level will be provided to new team members as a unit.
Off-duty members will be paid for all hours of required training. On-duty
members will be on a delayed-response basis. The positions of the additional
members assigned to this training will be covered by shift coverage. The initial
Technician level training will be conducted as a minimum eighty-(80) hour
program. The team members with certification as well as those without will be
required to attend this initial program.

Members interested in a Haz Mat Team assignment must agree to participate in the
required training and agree to fill any position on the team when qualified.

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Members must be certified to receive stipend (pass test, maintain certification,
annual recertification, medical screening).

The NFR will train adequate members in order to maintain a regular five-member
Haz Mat team available on a daily basis.

In the event more members sign for the team than this pre-determined staffing
allows, the member with the most seniority will be allowed to continue in the
training process for certification and regular assignment, provided medical
screening shows qualified.

The NFR will retain the nght to make assignments, regular and alternate, to the
team based on seniority. The City and the Union have mutually agreed on a
method to fill Haz Mat Team assignments, which is shown in Appendix E.

REQUIRED:

There must be adequate personnel (members and alternates) trained by this
procedure to the Technician level to maintain the regular team.

All future Technician level members will first be designated as alternates.

In order to assure a ready pool of available Technician-level personnel, during the
annual recertification process, the NFR will continue to train adequate additional
personnel to fill any vacancies which may occur on the Haz Mat team. However,
if at any time the number of trained and available team members falls below thirty
(30), a posting for the vacant positions will occur within two (2) business days for
ten (10) days. The screening and training process will begin within seven (7) days
of the closure of posting.

During the annual recertification period, members who may wish will be allowed
to be screened and trained based on seniority.

Drivers assigned to any apparatus under Article 36, Paragraph E.1., which may be
used with the team, will not be required to meet any further qualification.

STIPEND:

All NFR members who complete the Haz Mat Awareness Operational/ Decon level
of training, will receive a weekly amount equal to one-half ('2) their hourly rate, as

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a stipend for this certification, refer to Article 13, Section H.1. Change effective
July 1, 2012.

Regular team members (as defined/assigned daily) will receive a weekly amount
equal to | times their hourly rate, as a stipend for this assignment.

Limit: 32 Members 8 Officers 24 Fire Fighters

This stipend shall be granted only for that period of time for which sufficient
funding is received by Nashua Fire Rescue from sources other than the City of
Nashua Operating Budget to fully fund the Nashua Fire Rescue Regional Hazmat
team.

Effective January 6, 2013 — One (1) Captain will be regularly assigned as the
Haz Mat Team Captain in addition to the Captain assigned to each Station.

Alternate team members (not assigned daily to the regular team) will receive a
weekly amount equal to one half their hourly rate, as a stipend for this assignment.

Limit: 36 Members 8 Officers 28 Fire Fighters

This stipend shall be granted only for that period of time for which sufficient
funding is received by Nashua Fire Rescue from sources other than the City of
Nashua Operating Budget to fully fund the Nashua Fire Rescue Regional Hazmat
team.

Specialists qualified at the Technician level and assigned to Haz Mat duties will be
designated as additional alternates with the appropriate pay rate provided. This
stipend shall be granted only for that period of time for which sufficient funding is
received by Nashua Fire Rescue from sources other than the City of Nashua
Operating Budget to fully fund the Nashua Fire Rescue Regional Hazmat team.

C. Permanent Station Assignments:

Permanent Captain Station Assignments will be made available. Up to one
(1) position at each station will be allowed. (2 years in grade min.)

Permanent Lieutenant Station Assignments will be made available. (3 years
in grade min.)

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Fire Fighter positions at each station on each group will be designated for
Permanent Station Assignment. (4 years min.) One fire fighter position at each
station, on each group will be left unsigned

Station assignment for officers will be made by time in grade seniority.

Each permanent station assignment will be available to all eligible
employees annually. Employees will sign for the positions in order of their time in
grade seniority and the union will furnish the department with a list of the available
positions at each station and the employees assigned to them by December 15".
Transfers as a result of this annual re-signing will occur on the first cycle change
after January 1°.

The implementation of this process will take place on the 1“ cycle change
after the signing of this agreement or the first cycle change after July 1, 2012,
whichever comes later. The assignments will then stand until the first cycle
change after January 1, 2014.

If the NFR chooses to designate special or technical duties at a station:

1. The station and designation will be posted before the signing/
bidding process begins.

2. The NFR will make the required training available. The
member will be required to participate while on duty and will be required to
be certified if necessary in order to maintain the chosen station assignment.
Employees assigned to a specialty station upon the signing of this agreement

shall be permitted to retain that assignment until they exercise their option to sign
for a different station assignment. Vacancies as a result of such an action will then
be filled by time in grade consistent with the process detailed in this Article.

The NFR reserves the right to assign the group designations for these Station
Assignments.

When vacancies occur in the station-assignment positions, qualified
members will be allowed to fill those vacancies based on their seniority and the

provisions of this Article 36.

However, drivers assigned under Article 36, Paragraph E.1. will not be
required to meet any further qualification.

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To:

From:

Re:

C. Motion:

Attachments:

Discussion:

City of Nashua, Public Works Division

Board of Public Works Meeting Date: December 16, 2021

David L. Boucher, Superintendent
Wastewater Department

Digester Heat Exchanger

To approve the purchase of one digester sludge heat exchanger (Asset ID:
PDSHX) in the amount of $57,000 from Alfa Laval Inc. of Richmond, VA for the
primary digester. Funding will be through Department: 169 Wastewater: Fund:
WERF; Account Classification: 81 Capital Equipment.

Quote

The heat exchanger located at the base of the primary anaerobic digester transfers
heat from the energy recovery generators and boiler to the solids in the digester.
This maintains the temperature of the digester to an optimal 99 degrees, which is
best for decomposition of the solids and for gas production. This heat exchanger,
which was purchased in 2011, developed a leak in 2016 which was able to be
welded and has lasted us to this year. Recently another leak has developed, which
is not able to be welded in place. We have used a temporary epoxy while we line
up the replacement.

The Wastewater Department is proposing to purchase a new heat exchanger to
replace the one that has reached the end of its useful life. The new exchanger must
match the size and capacity of the existing heat exchanger and is an in kind
replacement. Alfa Laval is the sole source for this purchase, at a cost of $57,000.