Finance committee advances pay and benefits ordinances for Amherst city employees; tables multiple union contracts

The Amherst Finance Committee on Nov. 3 voted to send a block of salary-and-benefits ordinances to the full City Council and to table several collective bargaining agreements for later consideration.

The committee advanced ordinances that apply a general pay schedule of 3.5% in 2026, then 3% in 2027 and 2028 and that apply to elected positions (auditor, treasurer) and multiple departmental supervisors and non‑bargaining staff. Committee members also approved a new longevity calculation that begins at 8¢ per hour after five years of service and increases with future pay raises, upgraded city dental coverage to the highest tier offered in the municipal plan, and raised travel/meal stipends for employees.

Why it matters: Those changes, if adopted by the full council, will standardize compensation and benefits across many city employees, simplify payroll administration and modestly increase some near‑term labor costs. Committee discussion showed attention to implementation details — how longevity will be applied, who pays COBRA shares for new hires and how overtime and comp time are tracked.

What the committee did: The committee recorded unanimous votes to move the majority of ordinances to the council floor. Separately, the committee moved to kill one standalone IT department ordinance (25‑37) after the mayor said IT positions would be folded into the non‑bargaining ordinance. Several union or department bargaining items were…