READING, Pa. – Reading City Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the collective bargaining agreement with the police department for a three-year contract, expiring on Dec. 31, 2028.

City Managing Director Jack Gombach called the new contract a great compromise between the administration and the bargaining unit.

“I think it does a really good job of balancing our financial realities while still making sure that officers are respected and properly compensated for the task that we put on them,” Gombach said. “I am very thankful for the officers and I’m very proud of what we are putting forward to council for approval.”

The new contract calls for a 4% increase in salary in 2026, and a 5% increase in 2027 and again in 2028.

The contract also offers a shift differential of 3% of the base wages for each hour worked by an employee on the third shift (3 p.m. until 11 p.m.) and a 4% of base wages for each hour worked by an employee on the first shift (11 p.m. until 7 a.m.)

Councilmember Raymond E. Baker said he appreciates the work of the administration and the bargaining unit.

“It looks great,” Baker said. “We need to make sure our police officers get paid, and Lord knows we get tired of seeing so many of them make their way to the suburbs. We need good cops staying here in the city of Reading. I appreciate the great work to make sure that they get paid, that they can stay here and enjoy their work and keep our city safe.”

In other business, council voted to approve:

Awarding a contract for routine tree pruning, removals and stump grinding to Contemporary Investment Inc., DBA Nolde Pines, Reading, in an amount not to exceed $150,000 from the shade tree budget.

Authorizing the acquisition of the Public Works building at 509 N. Sixth St. from the Reading Redevelopment Authority. City Solicitor Fred Lachat said the city has been leasing the building from the redevelopment authority for the past 20 years.

A resolution for the installation of Agent Orange and War Dog public art pieces behind the Vietnam Memorial in City Park, with the exact location and colors to be determined by the public works director. City Clerk Linda Kelleher said the original proposal was to have the art installed as a memorial, but the group proposing it did not want it placed in the Memorial Grove portion of the park. It was therefore reduced from 6 feet to 4 feet and defined as public art, to avoid any future memorials from being placed outside of the grove.