At a special meeting Monday morning, July 6, the Chelsea Area Fire Authority Board unanimously approved the terms of a 2-year contract with the Chelsea Firefighters Local 1889.
Union members are expected to meet and vote on the contract Thursday.
CAFA Board Chairman Rod Anderson said the board voted unanimously in favor of the contract, and once he has a clean copy with the revisions, the board authorized him to sign the document.
Anderson said that the board does have some reservations about the contract. “This is a substantial increase in wages and we are obligated to provide fire services at an affordable level,” he said, adding that the board is “very sensitive to costs.”
With the recent opening of a second fire station in Lima Township, a savings of about $45,000 is expected each year going forward, but the costs of the build-out for the new space must be paid upfront.
In addition, with a ratification of a new contact with the firefighters that includes raises retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015, plus needed repairs to the main fire station, Anderson said the board will need to dip into its reserve fund to cover costs. He expects an about $100,000 dip into the reserve fund, which currently stands at about $560,000.
