Transcript Staff Writer

MOORE -- City councilmembers endorsed a new contract for city firefighters, changed a municipal ordinance governing oil and gas storage wells, and approved more than $1 million in spending during a meeting Monday evening.

Voting unanimously, councilmembers approved a new contract with the international Association of Firefighters, Local 2047.

That contract, Mayor Glenn Lewis said, would give Moore firemen a 3 percent pay increase.

"Basically it's a 3 percent raise," he said. "This is the second year of a two-year contract and it was very easy to work with the firemen."

Lewis said city officials use the 2007 Oklahoma City firefighters' contract as the baseline for Moore's pay schedule.

"We stay one year behind Oklahoma City's contract," he said.

In addition to the firefighters' contract, Lewis said councilmembers endorsed changes to a city ordinance requiring sightproof fencing on oil and gas wells.

"People from three different oil companies attended the meeting," he said. "And this a nice compromise with them."

Under the ordinance, Lewis said oil companies would be required to screen pumps and storage tanks with fencing and landscaping.

"We want them (the storage tanks) to be secure," Lewis said. "We don't want solid fencing, because you can't see if kids sneak in there to play. Those things can be dangers and we want to secure them."

Companies who use "chain-link" fencing will be required to landscape the area around the tank, he said.

"We're working with the oil companies to clean up the sites. They are painting tanks, cleaning up and keeping them beautified."

The effort, Lewis said, makes a good partnership. "We're working with them instead of fighting," Lewis said. "We all want to make sure the areas are secure so no kids can get in there. We want to clean them up and make them safe."

Monday evening councilmembers also heard a report about the city's proposed new wastewater treatment plant.