Collier Close to Contract With Public Works Crew

Collier Township’s public works crew could have a new contract by next week.

Township Manager Sal Sirabella and the crew’s union representative, Gary Alward, negotiated a deal that might finally bring an end to .

Township Commissioner Bob Schuler announced the tentative agreement during the board’s voting meeting Wednesday night. The public works crew is expected to vote this afternoon and the board could take action as soon as this Wednesday.

Still, from Collier residents.

“Is it almost a dead certain thing with the manager coming to an agreement?” resident Bryan Temple asked the commissioners.

“We support our manager,” Schuler said.

Others were concerned that this might be a political stunt . However, Schuler noted that the public works crew and commissioners both need to formally approve the contract.

“These things have to be prepared and both sides have to sign off,” Schuler said. “And I think both sides are ready to move forward.”

Reached for comment Thursday morning, Alward said he thinks the crew will approve the contract when they vote this afternoon.

“It took a lot of calls and talking,” Alward said of his negotiations with Sirabella. “Right now, they have an offer on there that I think the guys will be alright with.”

He said having a new township manager might have helped negotiations. And resident Beth Eckenrode also praised Sirabella for his work to reach a tentative agreement.

“Thank you for whatever role you played, Mr. Sirabella, for helping reach this conclusion,” Eckenrode said Wednesday night.

Still, she said she is disappointed the negotiations took nearly three years and hoped for better leadership from the commissioners in the future.

Schuler said they plan to vote on the contract during