Weirton City Council Considers Contract With WMEU | News, Sports, Jobs

DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS – Weirton Finance Committee members Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso, left, and Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh discuss items before them at Wednesday’s committee meeting. — Craig Howell

WEIRTON — A new contract for members of the Weirton City Employees Union was among the items discussed Wednesday by the city’s finance committee, all of which will be sent to the City Council for consideration next week.

The committee recommended an ordinance to amend existing Ordinance 1313 to establish “new wage and work-related provisions” for city employees who are members of the WMEU, and authorizing City Manager Mike Adams to sign the contract with the union.

Adams, who participated in Wednesday’s meeting by phone, said the new three-year contract includes provisions for wage increases, adjustments to the union’s seniority system, alignment of members’ vacation and sick leave policies with those of other city employees and a change allowing members to be reimbursed for clothing purchases instead of receiving a clothing allowance.

Ward 3 Councillor Fred Marsh, a member of the finance committee, noted that the requested wage increase totals 12 per cent over the life of the agreement.

“It’s a three-year contract at 4% per year,” Marsh said.

CFO Diana Smoljanovich said she had planned a 5 percent raise each year, so the pay increase will be covered.

Ward 4 Councillor George Ash, who is not on the committee but was present, asked about the negotiations, saying he, Ward 6 Councillor Enzo Fracasso and Ward 1 Councillor Tim Connell are supposed to be part of the city government’s contracting team.

Ash said he knew nothing about the contract discussions and expressed concern given that other municipal unions had received 10 percent pay increases over the terms of their new contracts.

Adams said that while he and other administration officials were the ones meeting with WMEU representatives, he provided updates on contract negotiations on at least two occasions.

“I thought I gave a pretty thorough explanation,” Adams said. “No one said a word.”

Fracasso, who chairs the finance committee, said that while he had some questions, he spoke with Smoljanovich earlier this week about the matter.

“She opened my eyes to that,” he said.

In other areas, the Finance Committee recommended on Wednesday:

• A contract with Coban Technologies to renew the annual software license for the Weirton Police Department’s body-worn and dash cams, at $8,060;

• A resolution to participate in the Northern Panhandle HOME Consortium for the 2024-25 fiscal year;

• A resolution setting the budget for the community development block grant at $401,682;

• A contract for the purchase of 20 sidewalk entrances to be used in Ward 4, at a price of $17,900;

• An agreement with the Hancock County School Board for Weirton police to serve as prevention resource officers at Weir High, Weir Middle and Weirton Elementary for the 2024-25 school year;

• A resolution to place liens of $8,812 on the property located at 345 ½ Orr St. for demolition and asbestos testing costs;

• Revisions to the 2024-25 general budget fund and coal compensation budgets;

• A contract with 10-42 Tactical to purchase 10 communications headsets and 10 tactical gas mask headsets for the Weirton Police Department’s Special Response Team, at a cost of $9,540;

• A contribution to the Brooke-Hancock Veterans Memorial Park in the amount of $5,000.

A resolution to contribute $25,000 to the Weirton Salvation Army did not receive a recommendation but will still go to council for consideration.

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