Base salaries for Williamsport Bureau of Fire members of Local 736 union will go up by percentage points over the next three years, based on a memorandum of agreement between the union and city, approved by City Council.

Base salaries shall be increased based on the following schedule, effective Jan. 1 each year:

• 2025 — 1%

• 2026 — 2%

• 2027 — 2%

• 2028 — 2%

The memorandum of agreement for a collective bargaining agreement beginning this year and expiring Dec. 31, 2028, was approved.

The agreement covers conditions for newly hired firefighter employees, longevity, vacation and holiday policy, health insurance, comp time and pension.

Councilman Vince Pulizzi was the council representative for the negotiations that led to the agreement. Council was pleased with the outcome as was the union, according to the council discussion.

“The city gets a little bit, the union gets a little bit … I think we have a good agreement to go before you tonight,” Mayor Derek Slaughter said.

Pulizzi said the intent in the negotiation was to avoid having the parties walk away upset.

“I think we walked away happy knowing that both parties got a little bit upset, but that is how we have to find each other in the middle,” Pulizzi said. “I think we have a good agreement.”

Slaughter and Controller Margaret Peg Woodring have signed the agreement.

Recently, Public Financial Management (PFM) asked city employees to consider instead of taking higher percentage wage increases, to look at a percentage to save money in the long term.

PFM is overlooking the proposed budget and will bring ideas on how best the city could reduce its expected 2026 budget deficit. Gordon Mann, PFM managing director, noted how the city could see reductions in expenses by its employees agreeing to lower wage increases stretched out over the next five years.

Slaughter told council Jamie Livermore, city finance director, is putting the finishing touches on the 2026 proposed budget ahead of the Nov. 17 and Nov. 19 council budget work session meetings.