The Brighton City Council has approved a concession package and changes in the employee benefits for non-union city administrative personnel. City Manager Nate Geinzer tells WHMI the changes will save the city money in the short-and-long terms, although just how much in the way of savings will be realized is hard to quantify at this juncture.

The affected employees include about 13 supervisors, department heads and managers – other than himself as city manager, since Geinzer has a separate agreement with the city. Geinzer says the changes for the non-union employees include reducing their pension multiplier by 10%, while at the same time each person will receive a 3% pay raise and a 1-time concession bonus for making the change.

Existing non-union employees will also have the option of converting from a defined pension benefit program to a defined contribution. The amendments and concession package are retroactive to July 1st, the start of the city’s new fiscal year. Geinzer added that any new non-union hires in the city will have a defined contribution plan.

Originally, the agenda for Thursday night’s meeting included motions for approval of contract agreements with the DPW union and the city’s clerical unit on the agenda, but they were taken off at the last minute. Nonetheless, Geinzer says the two sides are close to agreement. The police patrol officers unit and police command officers unit are also currently going without contracts and those negotiations are also continuing. (TT)