Barrington firefighters ratify three-year contract

Barrington officials expect to sign a new three-year contract with their firefighters’ union Monday night that would hike pay by 1.5 percent this year, 2 percent in May 2013 and another 2 percent in May 2014.

Attorney Dale Berry, who represents Barrington Firefighters Union Local 3481, said the already ratified settlement ends relatively amicable negotiations.

He said the new contract, which is retroactive to May 1, reflects a spirit of understanding and cooperation firefighters have generally shown their departments throughout the recent economic downturn.

“Firefighters tend to step up to whatever challenge they’ve got,” Berry said.

Barrington officials could not be reached for comment Friday, but last year began pursuing ideas to find cost savings in their fire protection services.

These mostly involved negotiating new response agreements with surrounding departments and fire protection districts — none of which have reached fruition so far.

Barrington officials did deny a request by the Barrington Fire Protection District for the hiring of seven additional firefighter/paramedics to help serve the district’s larger area around the village, however.

The fire protection district is a separate taxing body serving a 46-square-mile area outside the Barrington village limits. The district historically has contracted the services of the Barrington Fire Department, which grew to serve the larger area.

Fire protection district officials said their request for seven more firefighters was based on a study commissioned from the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.

But village officials argued that study was based on some faulty assumptions — including a larger population and jurisdiction than actually exists.

Fire district officials have long argued they have the right to determine their own appropriate staffing levels as they pay 62 percent of the total cost of the Barrington Fire Department.

But Barrington officials say that as they are the employers, it is the village that is ultimately responsible for the department’s efficiency and cost-effectiveness.