RAYMOND – At last Tuesday’s Raymond Board of Selectman meeting, the board rejected the union contract for the town’s firefighters and emergency medical technicians, making it close to one year since the original draft was presented to the board.

“I think the fact that this is the first contract for the town explains why it has taken so long,” said Selectman Charles Leavitt. “Having worked with contracts in the past, I believe it is normal for it to take a year to complete.”

The contract draft has been in negotiations since December 2009 and has been on the Selectmen’s agenda for a vote for the past two monthly meetings. It was tabled at the Sept. 12 meeting due to Selectman Leavitt’s excused absence and sent back to the union last week after the Selectmen entered an executive session to discuss the contract. The decision to send the contract back to union negotiators was due to what Chairman Joseph Bruno deemed, “technical wording.”

The selectman gave the union representative the option of changing the draft at the meeting but under union rules all changes must be presented to a quorum before being adjusted and presented back to the town.

The board’s rejection was a surprise to the International Association of Firefighter’s local 4095 President James Paul who attended Oct. 12’s the meeting and expected the contract’s approval.

“I was very surprised,” said Paul. “Especially the reason it was rejected for.”

Raymond Fire Chief Denis Morse was also surprised by the reason for the rejection.

“I can’t comment on exactly why it was rejected,” said Morse. “But I thought the technical writing was a minor issue, apparently it is not.”

The contract wording must now be negotiated with the union and then presented back to the board for approval. That’s something that Paul hopes will happen sooner than later.

“Hopefully they will put it on the agenda for Nov. 9,” said Paul. “Our proposal is very similar to what they are already working under, but right now they are working without a contract.”

Chief Morse believes the union is not in a big hurry to get the contract back since there are no wage changes at stake.

“No one is in a hurry to do anything when there is a wage freeze in play,” said Morse. “There is no real urgency to get it done because it’s just technical writing.”

Once the wording is changed the contract should be approved without much fanfare.

“When it’s been changed I believe it will be approved,” said Leavitt. “I don’t see any more issues with the contract or approving it.”