An arbitrator awarded a 6% pay raise to Rockford firefighters. City officials said the award will cost taxpayers an estimated $618,000 in 2011 and more than $1.2 million in 2012 when the 6.1 percent wage is in effect for a full year. Arbitrator Robert Perkovich rejected the city’s offer of a 2 percent wage increase…
Tag: fire department
City Layoffs
Here is a comment that popped up in another post this afternoon: Well as of today start to look for your own way of provideing some city services. Twenty employees got laid off today, and 10 others were taking the early retirment package, and reportly 2 got terminated. So what does this mean no one…
City Budget: Mulling Over Police, Fire and More
In 2008, in the midst of a self-proclaimed fiscal crisis, City Council voted to allow the (former) Community Development Department to obtain a new SUV. This is symbolic, see? The Police and Fire departments have had to put off replacing vehicles and some equipment since then. The Police Department, in particular, is getting nickel-and-dimed on…
Another Meeting Marathon to Nowhere
City Council’s most damaging flaw is its low overall level of intellectual curiosity. Between the grandstanding and the gotchas and the preening and pomposity, there is little time or inclination left for understanding the fundamental shifts necessary for our continued well-being, much less prosperity. Whatever energy might have been devoted to real study of big-picture…
Fire Fighter Open Thread
From Monday’s City Council meeting agenda: 2) RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DEKALB, ILLINOIS TO EXECUTE A VARIANCE AGREEMENT TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE DEKALB INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS, LOCAL 1236, AFL-CIO FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2008 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2011. The City and IAFF Local 1236 have…
Notes & More from 8/10/2009 Council Meeting
When people say, “I am not making this up,” as the public works director did last night in explaining the lack of competitive bids for waste pickup, I begin to wonder about the occasions when they don’t say it. You? ***** Mayor Povlsen is still calling comments he disagrees with “misinformation” based on a continued…
Dear Citizen
An e-mail exchange between a resident of the 4th Ward and Alderman Gallagher was forwarded to me. _____________________________ From: mark cxxx [mailto:markxxxx@xxx.com] Sent: Tue 8/4/2009 3:13 AM To: Gallagher, Brendon Subject: RE: Southside fire station Brendon- When you get a chance I would like to discuss something that I recently came across. Fire Station No.…
Renew Our Trash
Yes, that is a cat box. Sorry about that but the city started it by deciding that they think they know best on dictating how people take out their trash. Although called a “pilot” program at this point, as described in the Daily Chronicle article, my guess is the city will put this program in…
City Hall OK with Southeast Side as Toast
From the City of DeKalb press release regarding the fire fighter layoffs, dated July 15: The City Council has entered into agreements with the FOP and AFSCME unions, along with the City’s management employees, on wage concessions to avoid layoffs. “Unfortunately, we have been unable to come to a similar agreement with IAFF,” Biernacki said.…
The First Step
One of the citizen commenters at the council meeting last night brought up the City of DeKalb’s Management Pay Plan. She was scandalized by the leap from Step 1 to Step 2. It is easy to see why. Grade One starting pay, for example, is $18.158 per hour but on the first anniversary it jumps…