Elgin firefighters and the city reached a contract agreement giving union firefighters, lieutenants, and captains a 2.5% salary increase each year through December 2021 following a lengthy negotiation process.
“It took both parties two years to get to this point but both sides should be satisfied with the mutually agreed items and perhaps, more importantly, it didn’t take arbitration to get there,” said Joe Galli, president of Elgin Association of Firefighters Union IAFF Local 439.
City council members unanimously approved the agreement Wednesday, two weeks before the retirement of Fire Chief Dave Schmidt.
“Congratulations to everybody,” Mayor Dave Kaptain said.
The contract details specific salaries, duties, rules and regulations for vacation, sick pay, educational credits and other things like general conduct, meal shopping and membership to the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin.
Firefighters’ salaries range from $68,861 to $91,780 and lieutenants’ salaries run from $98,926 to $107,588, according to city documents. Fire captains’ salaries range from $117,177 to $135,646, the documents stated. Firefighters across the board get a 2.5% each year until December 2021.
The increase is retroactive to January 1, 2018, according to city documents.
Also Wednesday, the council recognized Schmidt on his retirement after 30 years with the fire department.
"Thirty years is a long time,” Kaptain said before reading a proclamation honoring Schmidt. “Congratulations.”
Schmidt was hired as a firefighter on Sept. 5, 1989. He steadily rose among ranks and became fire chief in 2016. The department has benefited from Schmidt’s leadership during his time as chief, Kaptain said. He developed the Rescue Task Force Program with Elgin Police and led the development of the fire department’s technology division, the mayor said.
“I do here by extend the sincere and warm appreciation and esteem to Chief David Schmidt for the outstanding service to the city and community on the occasion of his retirement and wish him great luck on his future endeavor,” Kaptain said, reading from a proclamation.
Schmidt is retiring Jan. 2, 2020, and will become fire chief in Carrboro, N.C.
“Thirty years ago, in 1989, I had one dream, to serve. My whole goal when I first got here was to help people and make Elgin a better place,” Schmidt said.
He never predicted he’d be a “data geek or fire chief,” Schmidt said. His joy was being a firefighter, but he enjoyed his time as chief, he said.
“I have so many great memories being here. It’s truly amazing,” he said.
During his tenure, the department purchased a fire station alert system to streamline the 911 Communication Center and help increase response times, Schmidt said. The system went live earlier this month, is helping firefighters respond even faster to emergency calls, he said.
He thanked the council, city staff and his fellow firefighters. “It’s been truly an honor to serve you, be alongside you all those years, and for the last three years to be your chief,” Schmidt said.
He’s the 17th chief in the 152-year-old organization, he said.
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