Bowling Green Fire Division members have a new three-year contract.
During a brief special meeting Wednesday night, City Council unanimously approved an ordinance allowing
Municipal Administrator John Fawcett to sign the contract with the International Association of
Firefighters Local 2379, representing the Bowling Green Fire Division.
The matter was passed as an emergency measure, meaning that it goes into effect immediately.
According to a legislative package document prepared for council by Fawcett, the contract will increase
wages by 3 percent in each of the three years, with premium payment increases for group medical
insurance coverage starting in July of this year; there will also be a lump-sum payment of $500.
Under the previous contract, assuming 2,704 hours worked per year, a newly-hired firefighter/EMT would
make $40,532.96 annually. A lieutenant, after 14 years of service, would make $62,246.08.
Under the new contract, a new firefighter/EMT in the first year of the contract would make $41,749.76,
and a lieutenant with 14 years of service would make $64,111.84. In the third year, they would make
$44,291.52 and $68,005.60 respectively.
The annual first-year cost of salary increases, fringe benefits, and the lump sum to the City of Bowling
Green is slightly under $125,000. The additional cost that the union would pick up in health insurance
costs through the end of 2015 is approximately $31,000, making the net annual cost to the city in the
first year about $94,000.
"I just offer my congratulations to the negotiating team on both sides and express my appreciation
for the firefighter groups for sitting at the table, negotiating in good faith," said Council
President Michael Aspacher after the vote.
In other business during the meeting, council approved an ordinance for supplemental appropriations for
current expenses and other expenditures for the year. Such a matter is voted on annually.
The special meeting was called due to two absences on council at the May 19 meeting, which precluded
passing the contract ordinance as an emergency measure.