Our View: Hope for harmony exists in Sycamore
There seemed to be plenty of relief to go around Sycamore City Hall on Thursday afternoon, as a four-way agreement was announced that ends a months-long dispute between a firefighter and the city.
The dispute was rooted in labor negotiations between a cash-strapped city and a firefighter's union that had a contract guaranteeing certain raises and benefits. Those negotiations became tense, even heated as the city sought concessions and the union fought to avoid layoffs. There have been no layoffs, and a platoon system is in place at the fire department that could reduce overtime expenses.
It's fair to say, though, that the relationship between firefighters and the city was worse for the wear by May, when Lt. Kurt Mathey attended a meeting between fire department brass and union members. The purpose of the meeting was to mend fences between the two groups.
Mathey put a digital camera on the table and began recording audio of the meeting. When the camera beeped, colleagues asked what was happening. Mathey was accused of recording the meeting without anyone's knowledge. He was charged with eavesdropping, a felony that can carry a prison sentence.
There also was a departmental disciplinary process – Mathey was fighting a 30-day suspension that had been stipulated by the union and the city.
We're not in the fire department, but it's reasonable to believe that, as long as this dispute was active, the purpose of that May 1 meeting wasn't being met to its fullest.
Now that Mathey has been cleared of the criminal charge and he has been given a substantially lighter penalty – a five-day suspension that is the equivalent of two shifts – we hope all parties can rediscover a sense of normal, maybe even a sense of harmony.
That probably won't come easily. The last several months seem to have bred plenty of mistrust.
This agreement has our support not just because it allows everyone to move on, but because it will halt expense to the city and state's attorney's office (and, therefore, taxpayers) to continue to fight. This was best settled and not dragged out for long administrative and court battles.
The sense of relief at City Hall on Thursday was accompanied by sincerity from everyone involved.
“The date of the incident was the date ... that parties agreed to meet to talk about how we could move forward together,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said at the news conference. “We would like to get back to that. We feel that this is ... a good step in the direction of a new day and better relations.”
We couldn't agree more.
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