BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Bucyrus City Law Director Brandon Gobrecht addressed the Bucyrus City Council to clarify the details surrounding a proposed pay increase for city employees.
During the meeting, Gobrecht explained that he and the administration have been engaged in productive negotiations with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to finalize adjustments to the last year of a three-year contract.
As a result of these negotiations, the administration has reached an agreement to implement a wage increase of $4.25 per hour for city employees. Gobrecht emphasized that this increase will replace the annual percentage raise, rather than being an addition to it. Negotiations for a new contract with AFSCME are set to commence at the end of 2025.
Highlighting the complexities of the negotiation process, Gobrecht described it as “an art, not a science,” and noted that the agreed-upon raise of $4.25 per hour is significantly less than the initial request put forth by the union. He also pointed out that these raises will align the city’s compensation with the conditions set during the previous contract negotiations in 2022.
Bucyrus City Auditor Kali Lewis also clarified that the largest portions of these raises do not come out of the general fund but rather enterprise funds such as the water fund, sewer fund, etc. Lewis said that some employees are paid out of different accounts depending on which service they are working on. She could not provide an actual percentage. She told the council she would have to parse those figures based on which department they serve. The Safety Service Director is also paid out of multiple funds.
In a light-hearted remark, Gobrecht invited anyone interested in volunteering for physically demanding tasks—such as digging trenches in frigid temperatures and standing water to repair waterlines—to contact the Safety Service Director to see if arrangements could be made.
Crawford County Now will continue to monitor and report on this developing story.