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Chelsea council approves new labor contracts and several fiscal orders
Summary
On Sept. 3 the Chelsea City Council adopted multiple labor agreements — dispatchers, supervisors, firefighters and police — and approved a prior‑year payment; the council also accepted the HERO Act local option for veterans.
The Chelsea City Council on Sept. 3 approved several labor contracts and related financial orders that the Ways & Means committee had recommended.
During the committee report, Councilor Taylor outlined five financial items: a prior‑year payment of $2,918.50 for school translation services and four collective bargaining agreements. The council then adopted an order to pay the translation invoice (order 24F88) by roll call: 10 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent.
Remaining second readings and roll‑call votes approved cost items for collective bargaining agreements: - New England Police Benevolent Association Local 192 (911 dispatchers), July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027: three‑year contract with 3% annual increases and a one‑time 2% adjustment tied to the communications center move; estimated cost about $240,000 over the life of the contract (order 24F89). Vote: 11–0. - Teamsters Local 25 (911 supervisors), July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027: similar 3% annual increases and one‑time 2% facility move adjustment; estimated cost about $47,000 (order 24F90). Vote: 11–0. - Chelsea Firefighters Local 937, July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027: 4% increases in the first two years and 3% in the final year; estimated cost approximately $2.3 million (order 24F91). Vote: 11–0. - Chelsea Police Superior Officers Association, July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027: 4% increases first two years, 3% final year; schedule change to 4‑on/4‑off; estimated cost about $970,000 (order 24F92). Vote: 11–0.
Councilor Taylor framed the contracts as routine cost items memorialized in memoranda of agreement. On the floor, Councilor Taylor said, “The fact that somebody screwed up the paperwork and sent in the wrong thing doesn't negate our vote,” referring to an earlier paperwork inconsistency on a different item (MBTA overlay correction).
Separately, the council accepted an order to adopt clauses of the state HERO Act giving cities local options to increase property tax exemptions for disabled veterans (chapter 59, sec. 5, clauses 22I and 22J). Councilor Cooper led the motion; roll call was 11–0. Councilors praised the change as a way to expand veteran support locally.
Several other fiscal items were introduced and referred to committee, including proposed transfers of prior CIP funds to FY25 DPW vehicle acquisitions and an appropriation of $89,018.20 from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund for street and sidewalk work; those items were moved to Ways & Means for further review.
The votes concluded a concentrated set of personnel and fiscal decisions intended to finalize cost items negotiated by staff and union representatives.
