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BY JOYCE RUSSELL
joycer@nwitimes.com
219.762.1397, ext. 2222 | Sunday, August 10, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
PORTAGE | The City Council last week approved advertising the 2009 budget, but hasn't finalized figures for next year.
One snag is the city hasn't heard from all of the unions representing three groups of city employees on whether members have ratified contracts, said Liz Modesto, City Council member and Budget Committee chairwoman. Once officials hear from the union representatives, she said, they can plug in the final numbers for the budget.
Modesto and other officials have said 2009 will be a difficult year, and they are attempting to hold the line on operating expenses for next year. They plan on advertising the 2009 budget at the same level as the 2008 advertised budget.
Joe Mokol, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 145, said Thursday afternoon that his union has not scheduled a ratification vote on the newest contract because it has not received a copy of the city's latest proposal.
Mokol said he anticipated getting one within the next few days and a meeting of the membership could be held after short notice.
Ken Edwards, field organizer of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which represents streets and sanitation department employees, said Friday that his membership had approved their contract.
"This year was just a wage reopener," Edwards said, adding that the membership approved a 2 percent wage hike for 2009 and an increase in longevity pay.
He said there were no changes to his members' health insurance benefits. The streets and sanitation workers' health insurance is fully funded by the city. Other city workers, union and nonunion, contribute toward their health insurance premiums.
Mark Vittetoe, president of the Portage Firefighters Local 3151, could not be reached for comment on the progress of that union's contract with the city.
Officials don't expect the delays in finalizing the budget to delay its eventual adoption. The Indiana Department of Local and Government and Finance has extended the deadline to Dec. 1 for municipalities to adopt their 2009 budgets. The deadline typically is Oct. 1.
Modesto said the City Council anticipates having the budget adopted prior to the new deadline. The council will have a public hearing on the proposed 2009 budget at its Sept. 9 meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. It anticipates adopting the budget at its October meeting, she said.
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