Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The Buffalo Grove village board approved a new three-year deal with its firefighters Monday that will give the union members a 2 percent raise next year retroactive to May 1. Salary hikes in the last two years of the deal will be negotiated separately.

Fire Chief Mike Baker called the deal a status quo renewal of the village’s contract with International Association of Firefighters, Local 3177 that expired at the end of April. The number of available health plans dropped from three to two, one an HMO and another a PPO.

The minimum and starting annual salary is $61,674. After seven years of employment, firefighters can earn more than $100,500.