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Onalaska council approves police and supervisory contracts, adds canine and step provisions
Summary
The Onalaska Common Council approved new labor contracts for the Onalaska Professional Police Association and the Supervisory Officers Relations Division that include clarified overtime and holiday language, new canine provisions and added step increases in years four and five for retention.
The Onalaska Common Council on Aug. 12 approved new collective-bargaining agreements with the Onalaska Professional Police Association (OPPA) and the Supervisory Officers Relations Division (SWORD), clearing contracts that take effect in 2026.
City administrator Rick Niemeyer described the contracts as the culmination of months of negotiations and said both unions had ratified their respective agreements. "Both unions have approved their respective contracts from their perspective and now it is coming to council for approval," he said.
Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the changes as largely clarifying language and modest structural changes intended to retain employees. Amy from human resources said clarifications addressed holiday premium pay, overtime premium pay and personal-day calculations upon separation. "We just added a little bit of clarifying language of what the intent was there," she said.
Key provisions: Amanda (city staff/attorney) highlighted new language about canine handler compensation and the expected working life of a department canine. She said the city surveyed canine working-life values and used seven years as a planning assumption for monetary valuation. Council member Mike Milkey noted a retention-focused change in the supervisory contract: "We're adding steps in now for years 4 and 5," he said, a change intended to reward longer service.
Council action and process: The OPPA contract was moved for approval by Alder Steven Knott and seconded by Alder Larry Juracek; the motion carried unanimously. The SWORD contract, described by staff as having nominal changes, was likewise approved after discussion and a unanimous vote.
What’s next: The agreements will govern wages and terms beginning in 2026. Staff and council said no additional personnel or vacation-day changes were added since the last closed-session negotiations, and that grandfathered employees retain existing canine or other legacy provisions where specified.
The council returned to the rest of the agenda after the vote.
