Officials, union reps work on agreement

Shawnee city officials and union representatives for fire and police haven’t come to terms for the 2008-09 year, but they will use last year’s agreement as a working document until an agreement can be reached.
Interim City Manager Phyllis Loftis said both chiefs advised city commissioners during Monday’s city commission meeting to rollover the bargaining agreements from 2007-08 to be used as a working document. Agreements with the police union and fire union are supposed to be reached by July 1, which is the beginning of the fiscal year.
Without an agreement in place, officers and firefighters do not have clothing allowance or other items that are typically negotiated.
Loftis said the city and fire union will go to arbitration in October, but no date has been determined for arbitration with the police union. Arbitration is the first step in the process when two entities cannot reach an understanding.
Shawnee residents voted April 1 in favor of the city’s proposal for the 2007-08 bargaining agreement after the city and local police union couldn’t agree.
In other police business, city commissioners approved the purchase of a driving simulator estimated at $108,250. The simulator will allow officers and other city employees to train in various driving situations, Police Chief Bill Mathis said.
Anyone driving for the city will be trained in a safe, controlled environment, he said.
The purchase will be funded by $70,000 from the city of Shawnee, $10,000 from Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group and $30,000 from REACT. OMAG’s funds are provided to the Shawnee Police Department for training services. REACT will use the simulator for training, too.
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Amanda Gire may be reached at amanda.gire@news-star.com or at 214-3934.