Peekskill Officials, Police Agree on Deal

Peekskill officials and police union officials have finally come to terms on a new contract.

Unfortunately, the agreement is only for 2011 and 2012 and the process will start all over again in 2013.

On Monday, the Peekskill Common Council approved a resolution authorizing acting City Manager Brian Havranek to finalize an agreement that the city reached with the police union on Nov. 25.

The agreement amends police salary increases to two percent in 2011 and 2012.  Officers will also be required to pay 11 percent of the health insurance costs they select and will now be able to scan in to work one block of four hours at a time.

The last police contract expired in 2010.

“We’re pleased to have settled this contract with the police,” Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster said Monday. “It does bring us current and the new contract negotiations begin immediately next month. In these really difficult times, with the tax cap, 2 percent salary increases do not anticipate the amount of increases we have to deal with...I know as we move forward contract negotiations will continue to be prolonged, but we are very supportive of our police department. We think they do a great job and I know everybody will work hard to make sure we have a fair contract for 2013 and 2014."

A copy of the resolution is available in the PDF attached to this story.