Bexley council approves AFSCME 2025'27 contract; passes appropriations and other measures, tables special assessments

BEXLEY ' The Bexley City Council on Monday adopted a three-year collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Ohio Council, Local 3838, covering 2025 through 2027 and approved several budget-related ordinances. The vote on the AFSCME contract was unanimous by those present.

The AFSCME agreement (Ordinance 01-25) was presented at third reading and carried on a roll call vote after a public comment urging rejection. Austin Fairbanks, a resident, urged council to reject the measure and said the contract "rewards mediocrity over performance," criticized seniority-based layoff rules and a uniform wage schedule ("4% in 2025, 3.5% in 2026 and 3% in 2027"), and objected to union PAC political spending. Council members voted to adopt the ordinance despite his objections.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (minutes from 01/28/2025): adopted by roll call (Yes: Feibel, Silverman, Hurley, Marcelino, Saad, Lampe). No public opposition was recorded. - Ordinance 01-25 (AFSCME collective bargaining agreement, 2025-2027): Motion to adopt by Councilmember Saad; second by Councilmember Marcelino. Roll call: Lampe: Yes; Hurley: Yes; Marcelino: Yes; Silverman: Yes; Feibel: Yes; Saad: Yes. Outcome: adopted. - Ordinance 02-25 (certify special assessments for city-performed work under Bexley code sections 14.90.15(b)(4)(a) and 14.92.04(b)(1)): Tabled at third reading to allow staff to verify assessment numbers. Motion to table by Saad; second by Marcelino. Roll call: Marcelino: Yes; Silverman: Yes; Feibel: Yes; Hurley: Yes; Lampe: Yes; Saad: Yes. Outcome: tabled. - Ordinance 04-25 (appropriations and transfers including a $1.1 million transfer from the general fund to the capital fund, water-fund transfers, and $8,500 for police records training): Amended (language changes) and adopted; motion to amend passed by roll call and subsequent vote to adopt the amended ordinance passed unanimously among those present. - Ordinance 42-24 (incorporating findings of fact and conclusions of law): Removed from the table, amended to attach findings of fact and conclusions of law, and adopted by roll call vote.

Public comment and council response Resident Austin Fairbanks (2810 Allegheny Ave.) urged council to reject the AFSCME contract, arguing that the agreement's seniority and automatic pay increase provisions disincentivize performance and that union PAC funds are used for partisan spending. "This agreement shows a lack of initiative from the city," Fairbanks said, and he called for a renegotiation. Council members thanked him for his remarks; the council proceeded to a roll call vote and adopted the ordinance.

Council action on administrative and enforcement matters Council also dealt with administrative items: an ordinance to certify special assessments for city-performed code-enforcement work (02-25) was tabled so staff could correct numeric entries; a separate assessment ordinance that did proceed concerned fees for specific properties where the city performed ordered work.

Context and next steps Council President Lampe noted that several items will return for additional readings or follow-up (including the tabled assessments). Staff said they would recheck assessment calculations before bringing the ordinance back. The appropriation ordinance passed required minor language changes before adoption; staff confirmed the dollars were budgeted and the language tweak aligned the ordinance with budget authority.

Quotes in this article are drawn verbatim from the meeting transcript.