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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. March 5, 2017:

WPCNR has learned some new details that are key components of the new Firefighter contract that the White Plains Common Council will consider ratification Monday evening. (See the earlier article on the settlement.)

According to City Chief of Staff and Corporation Counsel John Callahan in a written statement to WPCNR, “Yes, starting pay is down for new hires. Under the old pay plan, as of July 1, 2016 new hires would have been paid $60, 835 per year.  Under the new pay plan, if the Council approves the agreement, new hires will be paid $50,000. ”

Asked if police who joined the Department of Public Safety prior to July 1, 1995 were receiving the full 100% health care benefit now, Callahan, in a statement confirmed they were:

“POLICE HIRED BEFORE JULY 1, 1995 AND WHO RETIRED ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2015 ARE RECEIVING THE INCREASED HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT IN RETIREMENT. THE CURRENT POLICE CONTRACT WAS RATIFIED BY BOTH SIDES PRIOR TO JULY 1, 2015.

On drug testing provision which the fire fighters union agreed to, WPCNR asked whether alcohol use was one of the substances to be tested. Callahan said it was not.

Queried on whether in the drug testing program, if there was provision allowing for testing a person whom management thinks may be using drugs, but who has not come up for a random test, would that suspected drug user, be brought up on possible review by management and asked to submit to a drug test on the spot? Callahan confirmed this:

“IN ADDITION TO THE NEW RANDOM DRUG TESTING, EMPLOYEES MAY BE TESTED WHEN THERE IS REASONABLE SUSPICION THEY ARE USING DRUGS. “