City Council OKs pact with public works union

Public Works Department employees will get a 1 percent pay increase under the terms of a contract with the city of Havre.

The deal with the Local 336 of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees was approved unanimously by City Council Monday night.

Mayor Tim Solomon said the deal was worked out with the help of a mediator.

The increase is retroactive to July 1, 2012.

For the 2013-14 year, the union members will get the same increase as worked out with the firefighters union, the mayor said.

The city will soon have contract talks with the police and fire unions, the mayor said.

In other business:

• The city agreed to sell two old hangars at the Havre City- County Airport.

Willie Hurd of Havre was the high bidder of $2001.01 for one of the hangars, while Tony Dolphay bid $1,851.51 on the other, he said.

Hill County Commissioners must approve the deal before it is finalized, the mayor said.

Solomon said the hangars are in bad shape. The airport had been leasing them out and will lose revenue because it can no longer do that.

"They are basically just pole buildings," he said.

The airport will now negotiate with Hurd and Dolphay on the price of leasing the land the hangars occupy.

• The council agreed to close off the street in front of Custom Collision, 1710 1st St. NW, noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 21, for a car burnout, barbecue and car show during Festival Days.
• The council ratified Solomon's re-appointments of Linda McKay to the Planning Board, Gus Korb and Jay Springer to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Charlie Floyd to the Police Commission.