By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Bryan City Council met in regular session on Monday, July 6 at 5 p.m. in council chambers. Council members present were Mary Leatherman, John Betts, Richard Hupe, and Jim Kozumplik, with council member Stephen Alspaugh absent.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes from the June 15 meeting were approved.
Council approved the collective bargaining agreement between the International Union of Police Associations and the City of Bryan governing dispatchers in the Bryan Police Department.
The agreement took effect on April 1, 2026, and runs through December 31, 2028. It will affect six full-time and two part-time police dispatchers in the department.
“It was a pretty short negotiation,” said Mayor Carrie Schlade. “Actually, the delay was the two attorneys meeting back and forth on some language variation.”
Some of the key changes in the agreement included a general wage increase of 4 percent in 2026, followed by another 4 percent increase in 2027, and then a 3 percent increase in 2028.
It provides an educational incentive for those who have an associate’s, bachelor’s, and/or master’s degree. The new agreement has a 5 percent premium for dispatchers who serve as training officers while training new hires. There will also be additional compensation for those designated as tech officers or assistant tech officers.
In addition, there will be an increase in the clothing allowance to a maximum of $500, which was an increase of $250 from the previous agreement.
Council accepted a donation of $1,561.42 from RIDIS to the fire department, which will go toward purchasing rescue equipment. Bryan Fire Chief Doug Pool told council members that RIDIS hosted a community fundraiser and matched the total.
“In total, they (RIDIS) were able to collect this dollar figure, and we appreciate that gift to us,” said Pool.
Council gave permission for Police Chief Greg Ruskey to give a Civil Service test through the National Testing Network for the position of police officer.
Ruskey said the last Civil Service examination for a police officer concluded on May 31, 2026, through National Testing Network.
Two of the three qualified applicants from the previous test have been hired elsewhere, and one name will carry over to the new test. The department will have three openings for patrol at the end of this month.
Council then adjourned the meeting at 5:42 p.m. The next meeting will be on Monday, July 20 at 5:30 p.m.
