City close to agreement on firefighters’ contract

LA MARQUE — Despite a split on a contract with the city manager, La Marque appears to be near getting an agreement with its firefighters.

Mayor Geraldine Sam on Tuesday signed a settlement agreement to put to bed a lawsuit filed by the city’s firefighters claiming the city had been negotiating in bad faith on its collective bargaining agreement.

The settlement was a caveat to the council approving a new contract with firefighters last month.

The firefighters pledged to drop the lawsuit once a contract was agreed to. The settlement of that lawsuit arrived at city hall Tuesday.

After the firefighters sign off, the new contract, which already has won preliminary council approval, can be ratified.