Purcell Firefighters Negotiate Contracts

PURCELL, Oklahoma -- After contract talks between the city of Purcell and its firefighters bogged down, the matter went to arbitration--which the firefighters won. Now the city wants the citizens to vote the contract up or down on July 14.

The firefighters believe such a vote is illegal because the contract covers fiscal year 2008-2009, and the fiscal year ends on July 1.

"As we understand the law, you cannot enter a new fiscal year with an expired contract," Joe Heck, Purcell Firefighter Local 3596, said.

So, the local firefighters have gone to court, asking a judge to block the vote. In the meantime, the county election board has to go ahead to plan for a vote that may never happen.

"We did everything we always do to start an election," Marilyn McReynolds with the McClain County Election Board said. "We just started programming and had the ballots. We have notified our precinct officials."

Absentee ballots have already been mailed out and 4,000 ballots have been printed. Even if the matter does come to a vote, the firefighters believe they will be triumphant.

"The sense of the community so far is everyone's behind us," McReynolds said. "We like to think that we're going to easily win this vote."

On July 8 a judge will hear from the firefighters and from the city.

Again, Purcell voters will decide between the city's last best contract offer and that of the firefighters. The city of Purcell is also asking that the arbitrator's award in favor of the firefighters be annulled because the arbitrator showed partiality.