City of Estherville and police union officials exchanged initial proposals for the 2013-14 police labor agreement Wednesday morning.
Represented by chief negotiator Preston DeBoer, Captain Brent Shatto and Detective Greg Van Langen, the Estherville Police/AFSCME Council 61 presented a proposal seeking a 3.25 percent increase in wages for fiscal year 2013-14.
On behalf of the city, Estherville city administrator Penny Clayton countered with a 1 percent cost-of-living increase.
By law, the initial exchange of proposals in open to the public. Following the exchange, the two negotiating teams began private negotiations in an attempt to come to a voluntary settlement.
Last year, police received a 3 percent increase in wages.
The police and city are in the second year of a three-year contract with only wages being negotiated in the second and third years.
The above graph shows current and proposed wages.
| Estherville Police current wages | |||
| and proposed wages for 2013-14 | |||
| 2013-14 | 2013-14 | ||
| 2012-13 | City | Union | |
| Patrolman | Wage | Proposal | Proposal |
| Start | $18.50 | $18.69 | $19.10 |
| After 1 year | $20.79 | $21.00 | $21.47 |
| After 3 years | $22.44 | $22.66 | $23.16 |
| Detective (1) | $23.93 | $24.17 | $24.71 |
| Sergeant (2) | $24.39 | $24.63 | $25.18 |
| Captain (1) | $26.00 | $26.26 | $26.85 |