Police Sgt. Christopher Burns, union president, said Kennedy, who retires on Thursday, treated the police "with a great deal of respect."
PALMER – Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy settled two contracts with police and emergency dispatchers before her June 30 retirement.
Patricia KennedyBoth contracts are retroactive to July 1, 2010, and run through June 30, 2013. There is no raise for the first year, but raises of 1 percent the final two years.
Police Sgt. Christopher J. Burns, union president, said Kennedy treated the police “with a great deal of respect” and “brought a touch of class to negotiations.”
“We’re certainly not happy with the fact that we are taking zeroes and 1 percent and we had to fight to save a benefit already given to us many years ago ... but we do understand the hard fiscal times that the town and the economy in general are in,” Burns said.
The benefit he was referring to is the Quinn Bill, which is education incentive pay for police officers. The police are part of the New England Police Benevolent Association Local No. 071. There are approximately 20 officers.
The police and dispatchers are also paying more for health insurance benefits; co-pays went up $5, emergency room visits doubled from $25 to $50, and mail-in prescriptions doubled.
The contract means that sergeant pay will go from $1,056.77 a week, or $54,952 a year, to $1,067.34 a week, then $1,078.01, in the final contract year. Patrolman pay for officers at the highest scale will go from $888.94 a week, or $46,224 a year, to $897.83 a week, then $906.81.
Tammy A. Piechota, union steward for the five emergency dispatchers, said the dispatchers are grateful that Kennedy settled the contract before she retired.
Civilian dispatchers pay will increase from $16.90 an hour to $17.07, then $17.24. The dispatchers are part of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1459.
“It’s a fair settlement given the current state of the economy,” Piechota said.