Instead of approving a much-discussed agreement with a local firefighters union, Fulton's City Council hired an attorney.
The resolution to hire St. Louis attorney Ivan L. Schraeder had been listed on Tuesday's council meeting agenda as "tabled," but after a vote to approve a negotiated labor agreement failed, Schraeder's hire was brought back and approved.
The contract with Schraeder was amended to last only 12 months, at $300 an hour for no more than $15,000.
"He has already done some work," City Administrator Bill Johnson said.
Representing Fulton Professional Firefighters Local 2945 is William Li, an attorney with Woodley and McGillivary LLP in Washington, D.C. He did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Fulton Professional Firefighters Local 2945 is the bargaining unit representing full-time employees with the rank of firefighter or engineer working in the city's fire department.
Negotiations began over a new contract governing terms and conditions for employment in late 2014.
Voting to approve the negotiated agreement Tuesday were City Council members Jeff Stone, Richard Vaughn and John Braun. All other council members, including Steve Moore who was filling in for absent Mayor LeRoy Benton at the meeting, voted against the agreement.
Voting against the contract with attorney Schraeder were Vaughn and Braun.
This agreement with firefighters was negotiated and came to an agreement last fall. Five voted not to approve it.
Stone said while he voted for the contract, he had reservations about it.
"This is not a contract I would have written," Stone said. "But this contract went to arbitration, and this is the language that come out of arbitration. I don't feel like we have a choice at this point."
Vaughn and Braun said they agreed with Stone.
"It's what came out of mediation," Braun said. "You want to know why firefighters should be treated differently (than other city employees)? We don't ask anybody else to live within 5 miles of the city. Why should that be an issue?"
"It was filed in court that we (the city of Fulton) accepted it," Vaughn added.
City Council member Mary Rehklau voted against the agreement.
"It's been discussed over and over," she said. "Our job is to vote yes or no."
Braun said the agreement came out of mediation Oct. 22.
"We didn't hear about it until Jan. 8," he added. "I'm a firm believer we should stick to what was mediated."
The Fulton Professional Firefighters Local 2945 filed the lawsuit Oct. 20, 2017, against the city. The lawsuit claims the city is failing to fairly negotiate contracts, according to documents filed in the 13th Judicial Court. They have been without a union contract since 2013. The court set a deadline of Feb. 1 to finalize the agreement.