Council refers Teamsters Local 25 DPW contract cost items to Ways & Means; city manager outlines raises and cost

An order introduced May 11 to approve cost items in the collective bargaining agreement negotiated with Teamsters Local 25 covering Department of Public Works employees was referred to the Ways & Means Committee for further consideration.

The city manager summarized the memorandum of agreement and said the contract covers the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. The manager outlined the stated major cost items: annual wage increases of 2.64% in FY26, 3.5% in FY27 and 3.0% in FY28, plus a one-time $1,200 base wage increase in FY26. The manager said the total three-year cost of the contract is approximately $240,000 and that cost components are built into the FY26 budget to be presented to the council.

Council discussion focused on process and timing. Councilor Taylor asked to send the order to Ways & Means because it contains financial allocations; other councilors asked whether the contract needed to be approved that night or could await the budget review. The city manager said the union ratified the contract and all contracts will be fully negotiated once this approval is complete, but noted that contracts are pending appropriation and that the FY26 budget will include DPW items.

Councilor Brock spoke in favor of voting that night but the body ultimately moved the order to Ways & Means. No final appropriation was made at the May 11 meeting.

Next steps: referral to Ways & Means for the committee to review budget impacts and to bring the cost items back for a vote in accordance with appropriations and budget cycles.