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City of Somerville Special City Council Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date: [Date of Meeting - Not explicitly stated in transcript, but implied to be recent] Governing Body: City Council Type of Meeting: Special Meeting Attendees: * Councilors Present: Jake Wilson, Ben Ewen-Campen, Matt McLaughlin, Willie Burnley, Naima Sait, Kristen Strezo, Jesse Clingan, Will Mbah, Lance Davis (Presiding) * Councilors Absent: J.T. Scott * City Staff Present: Matt Sergue (Labor Counsel), Anne Gill (Director of Human Resources) * Other Attendees: Liaison Hunter

Executive Summary

The City Council convened a special meeting to address three key financial appropriations. The primary items included funding a collective bargaining agreement for the Somerville Police Superior Officers Association, approving a memorandum of agreement for Service Employees International Union Local 3 school custodians based on a recent wage study, and authorizing payment for prior year arbitration invoices for Human Resources. All three items were approved by a unanimous vote of the councilors present.

Agenda Item 7.1: Request for Appropriation for Somerville Police Superior Officers Association Collective Bargaining Agreement

Description: A request from the Mayor for the appropriation of $654,019 from the salary contingency account to various police department personal services accounts. This funding is intended to cover the costs associated with a collective bargaining agreement with the Somerville Police Superior Officers Association.

Discussion: * Matt Sergue, Labor Counsel, presented the item, noting that the agreement is a successor contract for fiscal years 2022 to 2024. * The contract mirrors the previously approved patrol contract and includes: * 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in the first year. * 3% COLAs in the second and third years. * 2% market adjustments in each year of the contract. * Civilian detail language, which is crucial for implementing the civilian detail program. * A slight increase to hazardous duty pay. * An increase to the detail rate for sworn officers. * No questions were raised by the Council.

Action: * Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval. * Outcome: Approved as part of a consolidated vote (see below).

Agenda Item 7.2: Request for Appropriation for Service Employees International Union Local 3 School Custodians Memorandum of Agreement

Description: A request from the Mayor for the appropriation of $77,400 from the salary contingency account to the Department of Public Works school custodian's salaries account. This funding is for a memorandum of agreement with Service Employees International Union Local 3 school custodians.

Discussion: * Matt Sergue, Labor Counsel, explained that this agreement stems from a wage re-opener provision in the custodians' previous contract (FY23-FY25), which allowed for renegotiation after the completion of the city's wage and compensation study. * The wage study indicated that while starting salaries were competitive, there was compression in the salary scale, particularly at the top end. * The memorandum of agreement includes: * A 2% market adjustment added to all steps of the salary scale in fiscal year 2025. * An additional 2% market adjustment for Step 10 (the top step) in fiscal year 2025, resulting in a total 4% market adjustment for this step. * A structural adjustment effective June 30, 2025, to recalibrate the wage scale to include 2% steps instead of 1% steps, addressing salary compression and aligning with the Somerville Municipal Employees Union (SMEU) building custodians' scale. * No questions were raised by the Council.

Action: * Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval. * Outcome: Approved as part of a consolidated vote (see below).

Agenda Item 7.3: Request for Approval to Pay Prior Year Invoices for Arbitration Services

Description: A request from the Mayor for approval to pay prior year invoices totaling $375 using available funds in the Human Resources, Professional and Technical Services account for arbitration services.

Discussion: * Anne Gill, Director of Human Resources, clarified that the invoices were for services rendered in June 2024 but were not received until 2025. * The delay was attributed to a transition period between the Human Resources and Law Departments, with the Law Department now responsible for paying these invoices going forward. * No questions were raised by the Council.

Action: * Motion: Councilor Mbah moved for approval. * Outcome: Approved as part of a consolidated vote (see below).

Consolidated Vote on Agenda Items 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3

The City Council conducted a single roll call vote for the following items: * Item 25-1273: Appropriating $654,019 from salary contingency to police. * Item 25-1275: Appropriating $77,400 from salary contingency to DPW. * Item 25-1272: $375 prior year invoice for Human Resources.

Roll Call Vote: * Councilor Wilson: Yes * Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes * Councilor McLaughlin: Yes * Councilor Burnley: Aye * Councilor Sait: Yes * Councilor Strezo: Yes * Councilor Clingan: Yes * Councilor Mbah: Yes * Councilor Davis: Yes

Outcome: The items were approved with 9 votes in favor, 0 opposed, and 2 absent.

Adjournment

Action: * Motion: Councilor Burnley moved to adjourn the meeting.

Roll Call Vote on Adjournment: * Councilor Wilson: Yes * Councilor Ewen-Campen: Yes * Councilor McLaughlin: Yes * Councilor Burnley: Aye * Councilor Sait: Aye * Councilor Strezo: Yes * Councilor Clingan: Yes * Councilor Mbah: Yes * Councilor Davis: Yes

Outcome: The motion to adjourn was approved with 9 votes in favor, 0 opposed, and 2 absent. The meeting was adjourned.