Jamestown City Council approved a contract with the Civil Service Employees Association, or CSEA, that includes a 2.5% wage increase for each year of the 4 year contract. The agreement runs from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
Mayor Eddie Sundquist said CSEA represents clerical staff in city hall, which is the lowest of the salaried units, “In addition, it does raise the healthcare wages for this unit up to 21% by the end of the contract. It also increases insurance deductibles for each member, both for individual and family as well as prescription co-pays, which brings this unit in line with our many others.”
This is the first of six contracts that are up for renewal to be passed this year. Sundquist indicated his staff is trying to get contracts approved with the other five unions before the end of 2021.
Council also voted to contract with Stark Tech Group for $918,173 to illuminate the Washington and South Main Street bridges and the BPU Coal Silo. Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said the project originally had $325,000 allocated to it, but when it went out to bid, the funds weren’t enough.
She said the state allowed the city to reallocate Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds for a train project that wasn’t ready to go toward the illumination project, “The solution was, because of the time frame we needed to spend the DRI funds within, to reallocate the $670,000 that was set aside for that project into the Riverwalk Experience Project which includes the illumination, some kayak launches, and a safety boom at the Warner Dam.”
Surdyk said work will begin as soon as materials are available and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
Other items passed by City Council last night included a resolution to allow Medicare-eligible city retirees to voluntarily move to a Medicare Advantage plan. Council Member at Large Jeff Russell said the potential savings to the city could be up to five-figures a year.
And a $36,680 grant from FEMA for fire prevention and safety training was passed. The Jamestown Fire Department and Chautauqua Children’s Safety Village will use the funds to provide more public education regarding fire safety including an ad campaign to promote fire safety in homes and businesses.
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