Council approves public safety guild contract, authorizes staff to finalize three clarifications

The Airway Heights City Council approved a proposed collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Airway Heights Public Safety Guild that would cover 2024 through 2027, voting unanimously 6-0 and authorizing staff to finalize three outstanding clarifications after the meeting.

City Manager Albert Tripp summarized the agreement as a multi‑year package that includes wage increases across the contract term, changes to medical coverage contributions, and longevity incentives. "We're pleased to report we've reached proposed terms on an agreement that would run between 2024 through 2027," Tripp told the council.

Tripp asked the council to approve the agreement subject to three items that staff will finalize with the guild: (1) clarification of the 2024 allocation of a $500 ‘Viva’ contribution referenced in the draft, (2) determination of retroactive pay for holidays worked in 2024, and (3) corrected contract language to reflect that the uniform allowance is taxable and the appropriate dollar amount (the draft cites $1,500; staff said the taxable-equivalent figure should be $1,825).

Councilmember Beinecker moved approval subject to those clarifications; the motion was seconded and passed 6-0. Tripp said staff and the guild had reached a mutual understanding on the items but that the language in the packet needed to be adjusted to reflect it before final execution.

The agreement, as described to council, would memorialize working conditions for the department and conclude a bargaining process that began after the previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2023. The council did not adopt final execution language on the three items tonight; staff were authorized to complete that follow-up work and return final documents as needed.