Lincoln Select Board approves three-year contracts with police, fire and DPW unions

LINCOLN -- September 23, 2024, Lincoln Select Board signs three union contracts with 8 percent raises and rank restructuring. The board voted unanimously Sept. 23 to ratify three-year successor agreements with AFSCME Local 1703 (DPW/water), IAFF Local 2796 (fire) and MCOP Local 197 (police and dispatch), all running July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, with cost-of-living raises of 3 percent, 2.5 percent and 2.5 percent. Town Administrator Tim Higgins said the deals address "wage and benefit parity" with neighboring towns and a thinly staffed workforce that has "not added appreciably to our headcount in close to 30 years." Fire lieutenants will be upgraded to captains; the police detective position will become a fifth sergeant focused on administrative duties and mentoring new officers. The board also appointed Jenna Salon and David Stroh to a newly expanded seven-member Housing Commission, named Julie Brogan to the Affordable Housing Trust, cut early-voting hours to 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for the week of Oct. 21-25, and learned that DPW Superintendent Chris Bibbo will retire at year's end after nearly 20 years.