Algonquin board OKs new contract for police

ALGONQUIN – A new contract with “modest” pay increases for Algonquin’s rank-and-file police officers received unanimous approval Tuesday night from the Village Board.

Under the new contract, the officers will see a quarter of a percent increase to the existing pay grid. Officers who have reached the top of their pay grid after eight years of service will see a 3 percent increase.

The new contract is the result of six months of negotiations, and it was approved by the police union last month. The officers’ previous contact expired at the end of April.

Village President John Schmitt said he was pleased that the new four-year contract took the current recession into account.

“Considering the economy and the budget restrictions, I think the police are satisfied as well,” he said.

He said the pay increases in this contract were significantly less than those included in the contract approved four years ago.

Other changes to the contract include some adjustments to the travel times to training to account for increased traffic congestion in the Chicago area, as well as clarification on the scheduling of overtime.

The contract also allows officers to use their sick time in addition to their other benefit time for the birth of a child.

Todd Walker, the village’s human resources director, said the new contract will allow the village to continue to provide a high level of professional public safety services to its residents.

The police chief, deputy chiefs and sergeants are not covered by the union, and records clerks are covered by a different union.