Saugus cops getting raise

SAUGUS – Police officers are set for a 5 percent raise in July after the Saugus Police Patrolmen?s Union and the town agreed on terms for a new contract.Town Manager Scott Crabtree said the three-year pact would take effect July 1 and includes a 5 percent raise the first year followed by 2 percent raises the following years. Crabtree also said any officer with 20 years of service would be in line for a 10 percent raise. Town Meeting must first approve a source of money for the contract.?The concessions that they gave, which I think is pretty good for the town, was a specialty position, a mechanic?s job that would go into patrol,” said Crabtree. “And they agreed to fill their own overtime instead of having lieutenants and sergeants to fill their overtime.”Crabtree said this would save $80,000 in overtime since superior officers earn more in overtime.?I would argue the town has done well ?” said Crabtree. “This is affordable financially where you have six unions out of contract and trying to settle those. Patrolmen haven?t had a 1 percent increase in their salary since 2004.”Officer Matthew Vecchio, president of the Patrolmen?s Union, said overall officers are satisfied.?We?re happy,” he said. “Of course there were a few other things we would have liked to have seen that the Fire Department had received, but when it?s all said and done, I think it was a good contract for us and the town.”Crabtree?s recommended budget for 43 patrolmen for the next fiscal year is $1.9 million out of a total department budget of $5.4 million, according to the town?s preliminary budget.Vecchio said after last year?s arbitration award was referred back to selectmen by Town Meeting, the union had to go back to the bargaining table.?After so many months of negotiating ? we finally were able to reach an agreement,” he said. “Compared to the previous manager, we were never able to negotiate a contract with the previous manager. It was good to get an offer, which is something we haven?t seen in a long time.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].