The most noteworthy topic was the approval of a new contract for the Lawrence Police Patrolmen’s Association, presented by Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Ramona Savajos. The agreement, effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, includes a 7.5% cost-of-living increase for police officers. Specific increases are set at 3% for July 1, 2025, and 2.25% for both July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2027. Officers with 29 or more years of service will receive an additional 5% salary increase. The contract aligns the patrolmen’s contract with that of the superior union.

A prominent change in the contract is the increase in the clothing allowance from $1,200 to $2,000. Officers are now required to have personal cell phones capable of running departmental applications. Additionally, compensatory time for officers will be capped at 480 hours, with no further accrual until current hours are used. The weekday detail rate will rise from $60 to $65, with similar increases for other detail rates. The last increase for these rates occurred in 2020 and 2013 for different categories.

The contract discussions also touched on the absence of body cameras, a point that surprised some council members. While acknowledging the importance of body cameras, financial constraints and operational requirements for storage and management have delayed their implementation. Union representatives expressed satisfaction with the contract, describing it as fair despite the desire for more.

The council also addressed the transfer of $1,325,743 from the FY26 capital reserve fund to various city accounts as required by Chapter 58, Section 9 of the Acts of 2010. The funds were allocated for roof replacements at the fire station and library, lighting unit repairs, sign replacements by the Department of Public Works, renovations to the council on aging building, and IT upgrades. The representative clarified that IT upgrades would not include cameras but focus on upgrading servers and switches. The city administration prioritized projects based on necessity and potential funding sources, including grants.

Another topic was a net metering electricity offtake agreement between the city and New Leaf Energy, introduced by Simon Pereira, supervisor of energy projects. The agreement promises a 15% discount on electricity costs over a 20-year period, projected to save the city approximately $12 million. The deal involves matching the city’s energy consumption with production from a solar array elsewhere in the state. The prior contract offered a 12.5% discount, making the new agreement more advantageous.

The council discussed the rate for kilowatt hours, emphasizing the need for clarity between the discount and the supply rate. The presenter confirmed that the municipal aggregation program set a specific rate of 13.2 cents per kilowatt hour, locking it until November 2027. This rate provides a protective measure against rising costs, particularly as the national grid’s basic service rate is expected to increase.

The council also explored the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Critical Crossings Project grant. Alicia Miller from the Mayor’s Health Task Force explained that the grant would fund work in the Tower Hill area. The initiative aims to create a plan for streets and critical crossings, expanding beyond the originally proposed lower Tower Hill due to available funding. Despite community engagement efforts, concerns were raised about the performance of engineering companies and the safety of a specific intersection, prompting calls for a reevaluation of the design.

In addition, the council considered a 2.5% salary increase for non-union employees. The administration initially proposed a higher increase, but it was settled at 2.5% to align with other unions. The proposal marks the first salary increase for non-union staff in over a year, with the last increase recorded on January 1, 2025. The total cost of the increase would be $165,000, affecting employees at maximum salary levels who require council approval to exceed the authorized maximum for certain positions.