Council ratifies two-year police union contract with modest wage increases and new retiree health benefit

The Sparks City Council approved a two-year collective-bargaining agreement with the Sparks Police Protective Association (SPPA) covering July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 (agreement AC-6123). Human Resources Director Shauna Halterman summarized the bargaining, the tentative agreement ratified by SPPA membership in May, and the fiscal impacts.

Key terms announced in the June 9 presentation: a 2.5% base-wage increase in Year 1 (effective 07/01/2025) which replaces separate crisis-intervention training special pay (the training is now required by law); no market-adjustment increase in Year 1 because classifications were already above the local labor-market median; Year 2 (effective 07/01/2026) includes a 1.25% general wage increase, an increase in bilingual pay (from $150 to $175 per pay period), conversion of field-training officer pay from a flat $300 per pay period to 6% of base pay, an increase in night differential pay (from $3.45 to $3.70 per hour), an increase in longevity pay to a maximum of $9,750 at 21+ years, and an additional half-hour of annual-leave accrual per pay period (no change to maximum accrual caps).

The agreement also adds a retiree‑health stipend for qualified employees who medically retire due to a job‑related injury: the city will pay an annual gross stipend equal to 20% of the monthly group health plan premium for eligible retirees. Halterman said the SPPA membership ratified the tentative agreement in May.

Estimated fiscal impacts presented were $31,201 in FY2026 and $358,290 in FY2027. The council opened a public hearing (no public speakers) and voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

Halterman thanked the negotiation teams; council members recessed the matter to a vote after the required public hearing.