Lincolnshire cops get raises under new contract
Lincolnshire police officers will get pay raises under a newly approved, three-year contract.
The pact between the village and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council - the union representing the town's 13 officers - also eliminates merit bonuses that had been included in the previous deal.
The village board approved the deal Tuesday night without debate.
The new contract is retroactively effective May 1. It calls for officers to receive:
• A 3.25-percent pay raise this year.
• A 2.75-percent raise the second year.
• A 2.5-percent raise the third year.
Village Administrator Brad Burke called the elimination of the merit bonus a "key change."
It had given officers a chance to earn up to 2 percent more pay depending on their annual performance evaluations, Burke said.
For most officers, it amounted to an additional $1,100 paid out over the year, Burke said.
But there also were questions about whether it applied to pensions, so both sides agreed to eliminate it in favor of greater base salaries, Burke said.
The new contract also changes the holiday-pay benefit for officers, Burke said.
For example, officers will get 104 hours of paid time off each year instead of holidays and personal days. The new policy provides greater flexibility for scheduling time off, Burke said.
The previous contract expired April 30, and negotiations on the new deal began in February. Burke called the discussions cordial.
"Everyone ... worked together to find solutions and arrive at a fair compromise on issues," he said.