But before the room emptied to attend the negotiations, they ran quickly through the scheduled agenda items for the night.
At this meeting, the council approved the payment of claims and payroll in the amount of $174,876 and approved the previous meeting minutes.
With no one from the public gallery wishing to speak, Mayor Jason Dunsmoor moved the meeting quickly through communications, none provided, and Public Comment into Department Head Reports.
First on the list Fire Chief Todd Strozyk thanked his fellow public servant Police Chief Chuck Spoor for his team of Raymond Police Officers who were able to respond to a weekend incident just a tad earlier then the fire department.
"We responded to an incident by the South Fork Bridge. It was a cardiac arrest of a man who was cutting wood. When I arrived the police were already administering CPR. They did an outstanding job. Thank you to Chief Spoor and his team," said Chief Strozyk.
Raymond Police Chief Chuck Spoor was next advising the council that he had attended the State Legislature and testified in front of both the House of Representatives and the Senate about on the subject of Early Childhood Education.
"The program is targeted at kids ages 3-4 years old," spoke Spoor, "It is investing in children before they enter kindergarten to make sure they are ready for school."
The theory explained Chief Spoor is that if kids are successful in school, and successful in life, then they will not have as negative many encounters with police.
"It sounds like it has passed thought the Senate, and that is a good thing," finished Chief Spoor.
Fire Chief Strozyk additionally commended Chief Spoor on his appearance at the Legislature noting that he was also attending the area on other business and witnessed the chief's testimony saying that he had performed admirably.
"Chief Spoor testified in front of both the Senate and House of Representatives and you could tell that the Legislators were engaged. He did a great job."
Public Works Director M. Dean Parsons was next on the agenda reporting that the recent pipe joint replacement at the Riverdale end of the bridge was completed and working well.
"Rognlin's was working from Monday-Thursday and did a great job for us," said Parsons.
Director Parsons additionally notified the council that recent bids had come in for repair work on the Visitors Center roof. Director Parsons further acknowledged one of the contractors seeking the job via bid was Mr. Roof of which he had previous experience.
"A couple of the bids only differed by $100, and the work of Mr. Roof previously on the Museum and Farmers Market was a job well done," said Parsons.
He was asking for the mayor to have a look at the bids to help make a decision so work could go forward.
Mayor Dunsmoor said he would look at the proposals at his next earliest convenience.
Mayor Dunsmoor took the floor and gave his report about the possibility of assigning former Mayor Bob Jungar to an open Civil Service Commission position that was recently vacated.
The council approved the appointment.
During Council Comments Ian Farrell raised the question about Spring Clean-up in which he learned that Public Works was in the planning stages and would announce the annual event soon. Raymond Spring Clean up traditionally runs in early April.
The meeting was adjourned so that members could discuss labor negotiations in their scheduled Executive Session that lasted 24 minutes. The results of which turned out to be Memorandums of Understanding. One was inked between the Raymond City Police Department and the Teamsters with the other approved between the City of Raymond Public Works Department and the City of Raymond.
The next Raymond City Council meeting is scheduled for March 16 at 6 pm at Raymond City Hall.