Board of Aldermen 12-11-2018 Page 21
Alderman Lopez
| just want to point out that these are employees who have been with the City for a long time, they are
not entry level, they are pretty senior employees for the most part. So these are people who have put
their time, they have earned the benefit that they were promised when they were hired and the
amendment is not taking that away from them, it is not removing what was originally proposed it is
giving them the choice to choose to give that up for a situation that might uniquely fit their own situation
better.
Alderman Gidge
Attorney Bolton you said there are how many people could come back on this approximately?
Attorney Bolton
| don’t Know exactly, it seems to me | asked someone this question a while back and people who retired
in the last 3 years | believe it would be fewer than 5 | think the number | was told 2 or 3, what |
remember being told.
Alderman Gidge
One other question, | am listening to my friend and colleague sitting here, can what is taking place here
happen with the Fire Department.
Attorney Bolton
Similar things could happen with the merit positions or the unaffiliated position as we are now terming
them at the Fire Department which would be the four Deputy Chiefs, one Assistant Chief and One
Chief. There may be a few secretarial or administrative positions that are unaffiliated as well. Now the
Fire Commission as | understand it has this policy that any additional benefits that are provided under
the union contract will also be provided to the Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief and the Chief in order that
you don’t end up in the situation that Vice President O’Brien was speaking about where a Captain did
not want to move into the unaffiliated rank because he is in the union and under their union contract
they do get that 100% pay out.
That could be termed fairly significant in the extra few thousand dollars you get as additional base
salary at the Deputy Chief level would not be enough to make up for that difference. And there are
other stipends, it is not just the sick leave pay upon retirement, but it is stipends for certain other
certifications and extra training and a variety of other things.
Alderman Gidge
Thank you could | have one more question. | probably will agree with my friend right here simply
because | would like to see just one more thing added to it or taken away. And | think the gentleman
knows what it is. Now | will vote for it but | would prefer that we come to some sort of an agreement just
to go back for just a little and then bring it back.
Alderman Jette
Is Alderman O’Brien or Alderman Gidge are you making a motion to table this and refer it back to the
Committee?
Alderman O’Brien
| would prefer if from the conversation that was tonight, | spoke my piece on it and | have high regards
of the Chair of that Committee and I'll let that decision come from the Chair of the Committee seeing
