Committee members raise concerns about four-day work week language in DMEA contract

Several committee and ex officio members said they were troubled to find language in the DMEA agreement that addresses a four-day work week and asked that the provision be renegotiated.

Ben Chianese stated concerns with how the funding is summarized and "spoke to concerns with the way the four-day work week is now included in the contract and he would like it negotiated." Chair Frank Salvatore responded that "this committee can not do that," explaining the ad hoc lacks authority to amend the contract and that any contractual changes would need to occur through the parties or at a properly authorized forum.

Tracy Norris confirmed statutory constraints that limit the committee’s role to acting on financials and that only the full Council can take a binding vote on the agreement. Committee members did not vote to amend contract language; instead they recorded objections and recommended the funding be forwarded to the full City Council where members said they could raise substantive negotiations or questions.