SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve an increase for the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Clearwater and International Association of Fire Fighters Bargaining Unit in the amount of $312,677 for fiscal year 2024/2025, delegate the authority to the City Manager to enter into a MOU with IAFF, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
On January 16, 2025, City Council approved the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Clearwater and International Association of Firefighters Bargaining Unit for fiscal years 2024/2025, 2025/2026, and 2026/2027.
While implementing the City’s new agreement with the fire union, staff discovered a contractual ambiguity as to whether the new step plan will also trigger re-slotting. The approved agreement is silent as to re-slotting, but re-slotting was requested by IAFF at the bargaining table. Re-slotting aligns with the intent and understanding discussed at the table. As a result, City staff and IAFF mutually support the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to clarify the intent and include re-slotting. Similar to the main agreement, the MOU will be deemed effective October 1, 2024.
Below is a table representing the estimates that were used to calculate the step plan as articulated in the agreement and presented to Council on January 16th, with a side-by-side comparison of the adjusted costs based on the intent of step placement. The recalculations based on the clarified intent for wages for Year 1 (FY2024/25) of the agreement needs to be increased by $312,677. However, Years 2 (FY2025/26) and 3 (FY2026/27) are anticipated to have reduced costs of -$211,436; therefore, the overall total cost increase over all three years of the agreement will be $101,241.
|
Contract Total |
|
Wages Only |
|
Wages for Re-slotting |
|
FY 2024/25 |
$2,528,978 |
|
FY 2024/25 |
$2,358,936 |
|
FY 2024/25 |
$2,671,613 |
|
FY 2025/26 |
$1,299,885 |
|
FY 2025/26 |
$928,516 |
|
FY 2025/26 |
$813,762 |
|
FY 2026/27 |
$1,483,548 |
|
FY 2026/27 |
$784,422 |
|
FY 2026/27 |
$687,740 |
|
|
$5,312,411 |
|
|
$4,071,873 |
|
|
$4,173,115 |
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
A first quarter budget amendment will include an increase of $312,677 to Fire Department salaries recognizing an allocation of General Fund Reserves.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
This increase in contract funding will be provided by a first quarter budget amendment allocating General Fund reserves in the amount of $312,678 to fund increases in the Fire Department. Inclusive of this item if approved, a net total of $14,843,677 of General Fund reserves has been used to date to fund expenditures in the 2024/25 operating budget. The remaining balance in General Fund reserves after the 8.5% reserve is approximately $41.1 million, or 18.1% of the current General Fund operating budget.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
Superior Public Service 5.1 Attract and retain top-quality personnel through the maintenance of competitive compensation program.
