Seymour police and firefighters will receive 3% pay raises this year after the board of public works and safety approved contracts with both unions during a meeting Thursday morning at city hall.
The raises come as a result of the Local 577 International Association of Firefighters and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 108 reaching collective bargaining agreements with the city. Firefighters and police officers also received a 3% raise this past year.
Each contract is effective from today through Dec. 31, 2022.
The starting salaries for police after the pay raises will be $56,868 for a patrolman; $58,293 for a corporal; $60,946 for a sergeant; $63,410 for a lieutenant; and $64,367 for a captain.
Firefighters have six different starting salaries based on rank: first class, $56,868; inspector, $60,964; sergeant, $60,964; lieutenant, $62,478; captain, $63,410; and battalion chief, $65,322.
Both contracts included health incentives. Police are allowed to be evaluated once or twice per year for health standards. If an officer maintains a minimum of 70% of the standards, they will receive a $500 bonus for each successful evaluation if evaluated twice. If an officer is only evaluated once in a year, they can receive a $1,000 bonus for maintaining a minimum of 80% of the health standards.
Firefighters that successfully complete an annual agility test also receive a $1,000 bonus.
During the meeting, Assistant Police Chief Greg O’Brien speaking for Police Chief Bryant Lucas announced five officers were receiving promotions, with board approval, starting today.
Patrol officers Gilbert Carpenter, Jeremy Soliday, and Josh Daniel are all being promoted to corporal while Corporals Ben Miller and J. Ben Armstrong are both being promoted to sergeant.
In October, there was a 3% raise for all city employees, which is also what they received in 2021.
The raises were included in the city’s budget for 2022 because pay raises for law enforcement and firefighters are done through a collective bargaining process with their union.