AUBURN – Councilors fielded more criticism Monday from city police officers and supporters.

Auburn resident Donna Rowell, of 95 Monroe St., told councilors she was ashamed that the city could not settle a labor contract with the police and had backed away from a 2 percent raise for firefighters.

“I get the feeling that there is something fiscally wrong,” Rowell said. “We seem to be spending money on other things, but we can’t afford to pay our people.”

Rowell was among several people who attended the City Council meeting Monday. She spoke during the open session, a time set aside for members of the public to discuss items that are not on the night’s agenda.

Auburn police have been working without a contract since July 1. Negotiations between the city and the police union have not been settled and state has been asked to help mediate a contract.

Auburn firefighters are also suing to regain a 2 percent wage increase the city agreed to last spring.

The city signed a contract with the public works union last month. City leaders said the deal public works employees signed is identical to the one offered the police union. It gives employees a 3 percent raise each year for the next three years, gives them an additional week’s pay in 2005 and changes their health insurance plan.

Co-pays for health services increase from $10 to $15 under the new plan and employees are liable to pay 10 percent of extended medical costs, such as hospital fees. The current plan pays 100 percent of extended care fees.

Officer Tim Morrell said the police department budget has not increased much since he joined the force. The budget, about $2.5 million, is very small, he suggested.

“And now you can ask for a cut in our spending?” Morrell said. “We’re all ready running lean. We’re pretty darn lean.”

Rowell criticized the city for projects like Festival Plaza and giving a loan to the Hilton Garden Inn developers.

“If we can find money to pay for a hotel, why can’t we find money to pay our employees,” Rowell said. “We should take care of the people that provide our vital services first.”

Rowell asked about how the city’s investigation of police is going. The city hired a Portland law firm to investigate the Aug. 4 arrest of Mayor Norm Guay for drunken driving. A breathalyzer test showed Guay had a blood alcohol content at 0.01, which is well below the 0.08 legal limit for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The state Attorney General’s Office decided not to press charges later in August.

City Manager Pat Finnigan said the city had not received a copy of the report from the attorneys yet.

staylor@sunjournal.com

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