Fire, Police Contract Rejected

It was a long night for City Council Tuesday. A number of items were on their agenda, and one is sure to start the pot boiling. The council rejected the latest contract proposal for both police and fire.

The agreements would have cost the city an additional $1.7 million over the next three years. We talked with both Police Patrolman Association and the Fire Department who said they believed this was a fair deal.

"We knew there were a lot of things we would have to concede to," said Sgt. Gary Jones. "I thought we made a lot of ground in both ways

"We had a mediation meeting already set up previously scheduled for the 23rd," said Jeremey Rodriquez with the Firefighter Association. "We were hoping to be able to cancel that meeting. Given the way the council voted, that will probably be our next option."

What’s ahead for the police department remains unclear.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council unanimously rejected charging $1 for three hours of downtown parking. They will keep it as is – two hours free, and a dollar for every hour after that.