Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
Buffalo Grove trustees Monday approved a new salary agreement with the Buffalo Grove Professional Firefighter/Paramedic Association that runs from May 1, 2020 until April 30, 2021 and raises the salaries of firefighters/paramedics 2.5% and fire lieutenants 2%. The budget impact is $111,000. The salary agreement is separate from the main collective bargaining agreement, which was scheduled to end April 30. But trustees extended that agreement through Oct. 31, in recognition of employees’ response to the pandemic.
During the virtual meeting, a resident called in and told trustees that the village should be more focused on funding pensions. “Where is the shared sacrifice?” he added. “I understand we want to be there for front-line workers during a pandemic. But let’s be for them by making sound decisions for the long-term financial health of this village. Let’s take this money and fund their pensions more instead.” He also expressed concern starting salaries for firefighter/paramedics would move from $64,000 under the old agreement to $71,000 after one year under the new agreement.
The village is funding pensions at 78%, which is considered acceptable.
