Two unions agree to pay freeze

Two unions representing city of Vandalia employees have agreed to pay freezes through next spring.
The Vandalia City Council approved on Monday settlement agreements with the police and telecommunicators that call for those employees’ base pay to be frozen through April 30, 2012.
Those employees will continue to receive longevity step increases during that period.
In exchange, the city has agreed not to implement furlough days or lay off any of those employees during that period.
Also at Monday’s meeting:
• The council approved two ordinance amendments governing traffic.
In one ordinance, the council voted to allow motorists exiting the Fayette County Courthouse parking lot on Gallatin Street to turn left or right.
An ordinance passed several years ago prohibited motorists from turning left onto Gallatin from the parking lot.
The other ordinance was requested by the Vandalia School District to ease traffic flow on school days, from 7:30-8:30 a.m and from 2-4 p.m.
The changes on Fletcher Street under the ordinance include:
-No westbound or eastbound driver can turn left onto Eighth Street.
-No southbound driver can turn left onto Fillmore Street.
• The council approved the resignation of Mike Luster, an employee at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Luster, who is retiring, has worked for the city since the mid-1970s.
The council agreed to post the job opening, with city employees allowed to bid on the opening through Dec. 1.
• The council approved new cemetery cremation opening rates.
The council, at the recommendation of its cemetery and landfill committee, approved a $25 increase each year through 2014.
Under the new schedule, the rate for the current year is $440.
Neil Clark, chairman of the cemetery and landfill committee, said cremation opening fees were inadvertently overlooked when the council acted on rate increases for other cemetery fees several months ago.
• The council was to be asked to increase the number of Class E liquor licenses, but was told that that action will not be necessary.
Randy’s House of BBQ, which plans to operate in Vandalia Commons on Mattes Avenue, has requested a liquor license.
Gottman told the council that the city was notified that Robbi’s Restaurant, which operated in Days Inn, had closed on Sunday.
That closure meant that a Class E license has become available.
• The council observed a moment of silence for: Duane Luallen, former city treasurer and business owner; Rowena Biellier, who served as Mrs. Claus in the community; Oleva Myers, the grandmother of city police officers Todd Wagner and Shanon Neiber; and Mike Lewis, the husband of former administrative secretary Nancy Lewis.