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Boulder council adopts 4% wage increase recommended in police arbitration; executive session convened on negotiations
Summary
City council voted unanimously to adopt the consent agenda including a 4% economic increase option in response to an arbitration report on the Boulder Police Officers Association bargaining impasse. Council also convened an executive session earlier to discuss bargaining strategy and legal advice.
Boulder City Council on Aug. 5 unanimously adopted its consent agenda, selecting a 4% economic increase option recommended in an arbitration report after the Boulder Police Officers Association (BPOA) declared impasse on economic issues for the 2026 contract year.
Council opened the meeting by moving into an executive session to "determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop strategy for negotiations, and instruct negotiators," citing Colorado Open Meetings Act provisions. The council then returned to public session and approved the consent agenda, which incorporated the 4% option for the police contract.
The executive session was introduced by Alicia (city clerk) and framed by Roberto Ramirez, deputy city attorney, who read the statutory bases: CRS 24-6-402(4)(e) for negotiating strategy and CRS 24-6-402(4)(b) for conferring with city attorneys. A motion to convene the executive session passed on roll call; council then recessed and reconvened after the session.
Council member Mark moved to adopt option A, the 4% increase, and Tara seconded the motion. In debate Mark said the city faces a constrained economic environment and that, while many council members want larger raises for first responders, the 4% option was fiscally tenable. Tara said she remained supportive of police but agreed the 4% option was the responsible choice given fiscal constraints.
A roll-call vote to adopt the consent agenda (items 3a–3e), which included the chosen 4% option for item 3d, passed unanimously. Votes recorded by the clerk showed yes votes from Speer, Wallach, Weiner, Adams, Benjamin, Mayor Brockett, Mayor Pro Tem Folkerts, Council member Marcus, and Shuhart.
Council members later spoke briefly about other consent items, including appreciation for staff work on a lease and building sale affecting the Dairy (consent item 3e).
The council’s formal actions on the police arbitration and the executive session were procedural but central to the bargaining process: the executive session allowed confidential strategy and legal advice, and the selection of option A implements the economic recommendation that staff put forward to resolve the declared impasse.
Council did not adopt or publish the full arbitration report in the public discussion at this meeting; the motion adopted the staff-recommended option as recorded in the consent agenda materials.
Looking ahead, the council’s action implements the selected arbitration option for the 2026 contract year and leaves open ongoing negotiations and any required administrative steps to finalize the agreement.
