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Palatka negotiators discuss raising FTO training stipend; city proposes $3,500 counteroffer
Summary
At a Palatka special meeting, negotiators discussed a union request to raise the field training officer (FTO) stipend from $1,300 to $5,000; city representatives proposed a $3,500 counteroffer, asked finance for budget impact numbers and agreed to place a placeholder on the City Commission agenda for April 24.
Palatka negotiators met in a special session to discuss a union proposal to increase the field training officer (FTO) stipend, with a union request to raise the annual stipend from $1,300 to $5,000 and city negotiators offering a $3,500 counteroffer and a proposed three-year contract term.
The discussion matters because officials said the stipend is intended to retain experienced officers and that any increase will have measurable budget implications the city must quantify before final approval.
During the meeting a union representative summarized the request, saying, "the big thing essentially is the the ask for the FTO training stipend to be increased," and noted the current stipend level cited by the union as $1,300 per year. A staff participant pointed to a regional comparison, saying, "the Putnam County Sheriff's Office is currently in a thousand per year plus overtime."
City negotiators asked finance staff to calculate the total budget impact before the matter returns for formal action. A staff member offered operational help to the negotiators and to the City Commission, saying, "I'm happy to get involved to the extent you'd like. And if you want us to step out for you guys to discuss, you know, how you'd like to move forward, I'll let you know if you would like us to attend, a city council meeting and and the local council meeting address the issue. Happy to do it, and happy to assist in any way." The group discussed whether to brief commissioners in executive session or present the full contract in open session.
One speaker summarized the city's counterproposal: "what we would like to counter offer is 3,500," and clarified the counteroffer would apply broadly to stipends except for K-9 stipends, instructor stipends and coordinator stipends that were already addressed in a prior contract. Participants said the set of affected positions numbers about 50 in total and that the proposal would exclude eight specific sites/types identified by staff. Negotiators also said they favored a three-year contract duration for the agreement, with negotiated wage re-openers in years two and three carried as part of the contract carryover.
As next steps, negotiators asked the union to put a written counterproposal in writing so members and the city can review it; staff agreed to produce budget-impact numbers. The parties agreed to tentatively place the item as a placeholder on the City Commission agenda for April 24; if needed, the item could be moved to the May meeting. Participants emphasized there was no final vote at the special meeting and that the city will pursue a written offer and fiscal analysis before any formal City Commission action.
The discussion included procedural questions about caucusing and whether to seek commissioner input before signing. The meeting closed with a request for finance feedback to allow drafting an "intelligent counteroffer."
