NILES — The city council has ratified a new three-year contract with the city’s 85 workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8 Local 506.
The new agreement includes salary increases for each of the three years of the agreement.
Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz said the ASFCME represents office and clerical staff and service employees.
He said employees will receive a pay increase of 3% in 2022, 2.5% in 2023 and 2% in 2024. Employees will pay an additional 2% in health care premiums from January 2023 and will pay 1% additional from January 2024.
Treasurer Giovanne Merlo said the increases would cost the city $150,000 a year, or $1,700 per employee.
In February, the council ratified a new three-year agreement with the city’s firefighters that includes a 7.5% wage adjustment over the next three years.
The new labor agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 320, calls for wage increases of 1.5% this year, 3% in 2023 and 3% in 2024.
The fire department has over 30 employees who have accepted a 3% contribution per employee for health insurance.
Merlo said the fire contract will cost the city $25,000 a year over three years.
In other business, at Wednesday’s council meeting, approval was given to proceed with the application for the Safe Routes to School sidewalk replacement project at Niles Middle School near Margaret Street.
Mientkiewicz said the city applied for an SRTS grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to cover 100% of the $399,200 project cost. He said word should come out by the summer on the grant and how to proceed with the project.
Sidewalks in and around the school and surrounding streets will be replaced.
In other cases counsel:
• Reached a deal with Cincinnati’s NECO to replace exterior water meter transmitters at $80,000, including $60,000 from US bailout funds and the rest from local funds, officials said. The project is mandated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and is expected to begin this spring. The new meters will replace those that cannot be read by the city;
• Approved $30,000 for the waterworks valve replacement project using ARP funds;
• Approved the addition of an administrative fee of $75 to vehicles impounded by the police department. The charge will be imposed on the registered owner of the vehicle;
• Approved the disposal of two 2011 police patrol cars no longer needed, which will be auctioned on the Internet.
