Finance committee recommends ratification of Springfield police union contract

The Springfield City Council finance committee voted unanimously Monday to recommend that the full council ratify a collective bargaining agreement between Springfield City and the International Brotherhood of Police, city officials said.

The agreement calls for 3.5% wage increases per year over a four-year period, adds a weekly $85 stipend for officers serving as field training officers while they are actively training, expands bereavement leave by two days for the death of an officer—s spouse or child, and includes other clarifications and administrative updates, according to negotiators and city staff.

Tim Allen, chair of the finance committee of the Springfield City Council, opened the meeting and invited negotiator Bill Mahoney to summarize the pact. Attorney Bill Mahoney said negotiations began in February and included about 10 bargaining sessions. “It—s a great contract, I think for both sides,” Mahoney said, adding that negotiators cleaned up typographical errors and removed language that no longer applied after changes in department practices.

Mahoney told the committee the agreement eliminates the recruit pay step and moves recruits to step 1 pay, which negotiators expect will help with recruitment and retention. He also said the contract records an existing pay/practice for a 28-day payroll period under the Fair Labor Standards Act and removes agency-fee language pursuant to the Janus decision.

Superintendent Acres, speaking for the police department, thanked negotiators and said the contract "takes the weight off of the officers" so they can focus on serving the community. "Our job is to serve the community," Acres said. The superintendent said recent retirements and other departures have reduced the department—s ranks but an academy class of 45 graduating this week will help replenish staffing.

Kathy Bono, the city—s chief administrative and financial officer, told the committee the city estimates the one-time payout tied to settling this year will be approximately $1,400,000 and that the police department has that amount within its current budget. Bono said the city will not need to draw on free cash now but may move money between departments in June to balance budgets where departments used signing bonuses or had different salary savings patterns.

Committee members asked about details of the agreement and operational changes. Mahoney and department staff described plans to develop an app for distributing outside details (extra-duty assignments) and to integrate that work with a new time-and-attendance system. Mahoney explained the $85 weekly stipend is paid only for weeks an officer actually performs the field training role.

Resident Steven Howard asked whether bereavement and other supports include counseling; Mahoney and the superintendent said employees have access to employee-assistance programs and a police peer-support program. Committee discussion also covered staffing counts: negotiators used an approximate bargaining-unit size of 411 officers (a number that "ebbs and flows," Mahoney said), and the superintendent said an academy class of 45 would raise staffing toward a stated target of about 514 officers.

Councilor Jose Delgado moved that the finance committee make a positive recommendation to the full council to accept the contract. The committee recorded a unanimous "aye" and will present the recommendation to the full Springfield City Council at its 7 p.m. meeting, the chair said.

The finance committee—s recommendation is advisory; final ratification requires a vote of the full council. The committee—s discussion and the materials it reviewed did not change or add any new contractual obligations beyond those summarized at the meeting.