City Council Approves Cost of Living Adjustment for Police Sergeants and Lieutenants

The Wheaton City Council passed the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Agreement unanimously Monday to give its police sergeants and lieutenants a 2 percent cost of living adjustment in its meeting yesterday, Monday, Oct. 4.

The adjustment was set after negotiations between Wheaton and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police agreed to the new terms. The raise will be retroactive back to May 1, 2010, and expire April 30, 2011.

City Manager Don Rose said the patrol officers received a four percent cost of living adjustment as part of their existing contract, so the sergeants and lieutenants received half the adjustment rate. 

"The sergeants and lieutenants realized the economic circumstances the city found itself in and were willing to take a lesser amount than the patrol offices," Rose said.

John Duguay, director of human resources, said he was leading the negotiations with the group.

"We were pleased with the outcome," Duguay said.

Rose said the reduced cost of living adjustment was chosen because of the city and country's economic climate.  

"Our budget as we adopted it was generally balanced," Rose said. "We had a little bit more revenue than expenditures. It wouldn't have busted it, but it would've been another spending point that would have been higher."

Next year, four out of the five unions working for Wheaton will be up for renegotiation, Rose added, with the Fire Department up in 2012.

The council also approved a bid by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. to provide brokerage, property and casualty insurance. Gallagher submitted a bid of $30,000 for brokerage fees for the next three years. The liability and worker's compensation insurance was $233.766 for one year.

Wheaton will save $40,022, or 13 percent on insurance from last year and are $36, 511 below the projected insurance budget.

The council passed an ordinance amending the Wheaton zoning map and granted a special use in the homes of north Wheaton. The amendment will allow the development's 42-inch fence limit to be changed so a 60-inch fence may be constructed along Gary Avenue.

Councilman Tom Mouhelis announced that Rob Miller's family will receive the Congressional Medal of Honor Wednesday, Oct. 6 from President Barack Obama. Miller, a sergeant in the Army, was killed in 2008 during an Afghan insurgent ambush as he was drawing fire away from American soldiers.

A service for Miller will be held 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 at St. Michael Catholic Church and another service will start 9 a.m. at Miller Plaza.

Miller is the second Wheaton resident to receive the Medal of Honor with James Earl Monroe being the other.