St. Ignace police officers have a new three-year contract that includes a new retirement clause and a three percent across-the-board raise, effective January 1, 2006.

City Council approved the contract at its regular meeting Monday, December 19, for the six-member police force.

Under the new contract, police officers upgraded their retirement plan to base retirement benefits on an averaged previous three years, not five years, of salary. Officers, not the city, will pay for the upgrade in the retirement plan, said City Manager Gary “Pete” Heckman.

The six-member local force, said Mr. Heckman, wanted to have a better retirement plan and are willing to pay for it.

A three percent increase will raise hourly wages for a patrolman to $16.88, and for sergeants to $17.39.

Police are Sergeant Mark Wilk and officers Bruce Bigger, Tom Tarnutzer, Merlin Doran, and Ryan Deihl.

Negotiating were local union representative Merlin Doran, Police Officers Labor Council representative Jerry Caster, and the city’s Negotiations Committee, which includes city attorney Prentiss M. Brown, Mayor Pro Tempore Don Gustafson, and Councilmen Willie LaLonde and Paul Grondin.

Police Chief Tim Matelski is not part of the police union and must negotiate his contract directly with the city, which he has yet to do.