Merced to talk raises, public safety

The Merced City Council has a full agenda Monday, when it will discuss giving raises to city employees and begin to look at spending more on public safety.

The three-year contract up for discussion would give the 259 employees, represented by three different unions, a 2 percent raise in the first year, a 2.25 percent raise in the second year and a 2.5 percent raise in the third year.

The raises would go into effect in the 2015-16 fiscal year, and cost the general fund $122,330 the first year.

Employees represented by the Merced Association of City Employees have not seen raises since December of 2009, according to city records. Those in the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and the unrepresented employees have not had a raise since December of the previous year.

At 441 positions this year, there are 119 fewer employees written into the city’s budget than in 2009.

In the years since, most employees in the three groups began paying a portion of their California Public Employees’ Retirement System contribution plus some of the employer contribution.

Under the new agreement, employees would pay the entire employee portion, and the city would pay the entire employer portion.

At the same meeting, Mayor Stan Thurston has asked the council to approve a formal study from city staff members on cost and feasibility for adding police officers, increasing the number of streetlights and purchasing a gunshot-locating device for police.

The public safety-related efforts are a response to the 15 homicides and other gun violence Merced has seen this year.

The high-tech device being considered, called a ShotSpotter, is meant to help officers respond to gunfire faster by detecting shots fired and alerting police.

The plan to add police would hire one new officer in each of the next five years.

After several years of a plummeting local economy spurred by the housing-market crash and Great Recession that began last decade, the number of officers employed in Merced has fallen. The peak of 111 officers in 2007 is down to 87 this year.

The new streetlights, if approved, would be added to city-owned alleys.

The council plans a stormwater ordinance study session at 5 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 678 W. 18th St. A closed session is set to follow the study session. The regular meeting begins at 7 p.m.

This story was originally published December 14, 2014 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Merced to talk raises, public safety."