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Committee forwards IAFF Local 146 contract funding to full council after review of wage and stipend changes
Summary
The committee voted to send a request to transfer $600,000 to cover retroactive and FY2027 costs for a new IAFF Local 146 firefighters contract (term 7/1/2025–6/30/2028). The agreement includes 7.5% total wage increases over three years and several stipend increases including EMT and medical‑awareness pay.
The Budget and Finance Committee reviewed the IAFF Local 146 collective bargaining agreement and a $600,000 transfer request to cover prior‑year retroactive pay and anticipated FY2027 impacts.
CAFO Ramona Ceballos summarized the contract term (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2028) and said wages total a 7.5% increase across three years ("3% the 1st year, 2.25% the 2nd, and 2.25% the 3rd year"). Ceballos also detailed changes to step increases and stipends, including a new step after 29 years and increases to a longstanding "medical awareness" stipend.
Union president Jeff Martin, who identified himself for the record, told the committee negotiations were professional but delayed; he said the union and the city worked together and at times resorted to arbitration to keep the process moving. "Both the city and the union worked very well together throughout the whole process," Martin said.
Councilors asked whether the $600,000 retro is reserved and about FY2027 funding; Ceballos said the retro is in a reserve account and final FY2027 numbers will be set after free cash certification. She confirmed details for several stipend changes: the medical awareness stipend has not been increased in roughly a decade and the EMT stipend will rise from $1,000 to $2,250, and academic compensation language was amended to include tuition coverage and a master's‑degree increase from 15% to 17.5% of base where applicable.
After questions about budget timing and comparability with other municipalities, the committee voted to forward the contract and funding request to the full council with a favorable recommendation; final appropriation and payroll entries will be completed once free cash is certified.
What happens next: the council will consider the transfer and the contract on the full‑council agenda; the CAFO will return with final FY2027 numbers once free cash is certified.
