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Ishpeming council approves reclassifications, pay adjustments and ratifies three union contracts
Summary
Council reclassified several administrative and public‑works roles, approved nonunion and police pay adjustments (including a phased police chief raise) and accepted three three‑year union contracts that members ratified unanimously.
The Ishpeming City Council on Wednesday voted to reclassify several staff positions, approve a round of retroactive and forward pay adjustments for nonunion employees, and accept three negotiated three‑year union agreements that union members later ratified unanimously.
What the council approved - Reclassifications: the council voted to designate the finance director as finance director/deputy city manager, retitle the treasurer as treasurer/finance office manager and elevate the DPW general foreman to DPW director. The changes were described by staff as clarifying chain of command and formalizing duties the employees were already performing. - Nonunion wage adjustments and retro pay: council approved a 3% pay step for nonunion positions with retroactive pay from Jan. 1 where applicable and one‑time backpay arrangements for staff who took on expanded duties during the recent city manager vacancy. - Police chief pay plan: the council approved a phased increase for the police chief from the current base to $84,000 effective June 1, 2025 and to $90,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026. - Union contracts: the council approved three separate three‑year contracts covering supervisory, DPW and clerical units; a union representative told the meeting that all three units ratified their contracts unanimously in internal votes held before the meeting.
Why officials said changes were needed City staff told the council the reclassifications align titles and supervision with actual duties and are intended to prevent wage compression between line staff and supervisors. The manager said the changes will help clarify responsibilities and assist continuity when leadership is absent.
Mayor Pat Scanlon praised the negotiation process. “I have been around a long time and this has been the best negotiation I have ever seen,” the mayor said during the meeting.
Fiscal effect Staff presented a consolidated fiscal impact showing modest net savings driven partly by not filling some vacant positions and by temporary decisions made while the city manager role was vacant. Council approved the adjustments in the meeting; staff said they will reflect the changes in the FY2025 budget and the CIP where applicable.
What was decided and what remains Council took multiple separate votes to adopt reclassifications and wage changes and to approve the union agreements. The wage adjustments and reclassifications take effect on the dates the council set; staffing levels and any future nonunion adjustments will be reviewed during the next budget process.
