Oregon: Council to vote on AFSCME contract

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An ordinance authorizing the Oregon city administration to enter into a contract with Local 755 and Ohio Council 8 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees will be on the agenda of city council’s Sept. 23 meeting.
Joel Mazur, city administrator, provided highlights of the contract last week to council’s committee of the whole.
“What we’re looking at is the same thing that was approved for the fire department, which is an increase in pay of 4 percent, 3 percent, and 3 percent over the next three years but it also includes a concession on the health care side for spousal coverage,” Mazur said. “That would mirror what was included in the Fraternal Order of Police contract.”
He said there was an additional equity adjustment for the clerical staff – about 13 employees – who will have an additional 2.5 percent added to their base wages.
Mazur said the administration began meeting with union representatives earlier this year and union members twice voted down a contract proposal before approving a third proposal.
The current contract expired June 30.

Sr. levy discussed
After hearing a brief presentation by Nick Roman, finance director, on a request to authorize fund transfers, including $24,200 for senior center costs, councilman Dennis Walendzak said it is imperative that a levy issue on the November ballot for senior services is passed.
Voters in Oregon will decide two senior-related issues on November 5. A 0.5-mill, 5-year levy, Issue 3, will be on the ballot in the city for senior services.
There will also be a county-wide issue on the ballot that will, if passed, fund senior services and programs,
The county levy, Issue 29 on the ballot, requests a renewal of 0.75 mill and an additional 0.25 mill for five years.
The Lucas County auditor’s office estimates the county issue will generate about $8.15 million annually and the Oregon levy will generate about $300,000 a year.
Walendzak said the city receives funds from the county levy while the local levy “adds icing to the cake.”
“They can provide more services than what they could if it was only through Lucas County,” he said.
Last year, there was a problem with the language of the city’s levy request and it wasn’t placed on the ballot. Council then approved supplementing the center’s budget with a transfusion of $150,000.
“They could continue to provide those services,” Walendzak said.