New police contract provides 3% raises

Richmond Police Department officers will receive 3% noncompounding raises each of the next two years after agreeing to a contract with the city.

During its Dec. 18 meeting, Richmond’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved the new two-year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police John Hennigar Lodge No. 63. The contract covers 76 merit officers.

The raises make the base pay for a first-class patrol officer $59,311.10 in 2026 and $61,038.61 in 2027. The contract also includes the additional pay for investigators, sergeants, lieutenants and captains. Officers also receive longevity pay.

The contract means that police, fire and union workers in the parks, street and sanitation departments are all under contract for 2026. The board of works approved the three-year contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1791 during its Dec. 11 meeting. Those workers also receive 3% noncompounding raises each year.

South Ninth closure

The board approved closing the first block of South Ninth Street for six days.

B&M Tower Technologies will place a crane in the roadway to modify a cell tower atop the Leland Legacy building at 900 S. A St. Traffic will detour east on South A Street, north on South 10th Street and west on East Main Street back to Ninth Street.

The dates are yet to be determined, but there will be seven days’ notice to the public before the closure.

Other actions

• A resolution committing $250,000 to Whitewater Community Television from quarterly Comcast franchise fees paid to the city was unanimously approved. Richmond Common Council approved the memorandum of understanding during its Dec. 15 meeting.
• The board approved a $40,000 contract with RLS & Associates of Dayton, Ohio, to conduct a transportation study that culminates in a comprehensive transportation plan. The approval follows Common Council’s permission for Roseview Transit to transfer the $40,000 from open part-time employee wages to a contractual line item.
• Countryside Auto will provide on-call and as-needed services to repair crash damage for vehicles from the police, street, sanitation and parks departments after the board approved a one-year contract with an option to renew for 2027. Countryside was awarded the contract through a bidding process.
• The board approved a $3,200 contract with Patriot Engineering and Environmental of Indianapolis for the predemolition inspection for asbestos in the former laundry facility at 1002 N. E St. before the building’s demolition. The city plans to use the site as a parking lot.
• The board voted to permit TowerCom to build a 199-foot monopole communications tower at 2330 Niewoehner Road. The tower, scheduled for summer 2026 construction would eliminate a gap in Verizon Wireless cell service.
• AJ Sickmann, a partner in Boston Bever Forrest Cross & Sickmann Law Firm, will continue serving as Richmond’s city attorney after the board approved an agreement for 2026. The city will pay $56,492 for 48 hours per month. 
• The city has elected to extend through 2026 its contracts with Flow Right Mechanical for general plumbing repairs and with Carroll Electric for electrical services in the Richmond Municipal Building. The board unanimously approved the extensions.
• The board awarded the bid for emergency demolition of 210 N. 11th St. to B&B Construction. B&B’s $35,200 bid was the lower of two bids received.
• Jamie Lopeman, the board’s president, announced his resignation at the conclusion of the year. The position is appointed by the mayor.

This reporting was made possible in part by Whitewater Community Television.