City to pay settlement to police, fire retirees
On
Each of the 71 former employees retired under a collective bargaining agreement that promised them lifetime, city-paid retirement medical benefits -- and since the city "unilaterally" made changes in its health plans, in 2009 and again in mid-2013, some of the costs shifted to them.
Under the police and fire labor agreements that were in place when the plaintiffs retired, the suit said the city promised to pay the full costs of retirees' medical care for the rest of their lives; the retirees were to be subject only to varying but minimal co-payments on prescription drugs.
"The retirees came to the table and reached an agreement," he said. "I think from all sides, it's a fair agreement. As far as the cooperation of the retirees, it was very positive."
In a statement from Mayor
The city will pay two payments of
Blackley said he did not know how the unions would divide the money up between the plaintiffs once they received it, saying "that's their call."
In other news:
After meeting in executive session Wednesday about the matter, the
Before the
The council is looking to reduce the treasurer's salary to
This would put the treasurer on par with the city clerk's salary, and is slightly higher than the
Per the city charter, the Council can only change elected officials' salaries during the month of July prior to the November election.
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