Town, firefighters play numbers game

The Longboat Key Fire Rescue Union asked the Longboat Key Town Commission in July what it believes the town’s firefighter/paramedics and lieutenants are worth as part of a new three-year contract.

The answer, according to Town Manager Dave Bullock, is an additional $312,546 to be used over three years to boost salaries.

Bullock and town labor attorney Reynolds Allen presented the increases during a Tuesday negotiation session at Town Hall.

Bullock said $129,326 is available for salary increases in year one; $119,196 is available in year two; and $64,004 is available in year three of a new contract to boost wages. 

Although union negotiation team members were receptive to salary increases, they said they won’t proceed with a new contract unless the town agrees to modify its required Florida Retirement System (FRS) contribution requirements.

The union agreed to match the town’s contribution to the FRS plan during negotiations for its current contract  — which currently amounts to 11% of their pay on top of a 3% contribution mandated by FRS.

Allen said the town “is aware salaries are not as competitive as we would like them to be to attract and retain quality employees.”

“We are here today to put money on the table to address the issue,” Allen said. “We believe our proposal is costly to the town but will keep us on track.”

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Union Vice President Keith Tanner told town staff the union’s membership won’t approve a contract that doesn’t eliminate the contribution requirements above the FRS plan’s mandated 3% contribution.

“We’re very happy with the wage scale you brought us, but in all reality, it’s not true money because of the extra 11% taken out of our paychecks,” Tanner said.

The Longboat Key department is the only fire department in Florida that requires its members to contribute more than the mandated 3% FRS contribution. 

But Allen pointed out that the union agreed to that pension contribution, and he said the commission has no desire to modify it.

“We have nothing further to say right now in regard to the pension issue, but we will listen to you,” Allen said. “We don’t see the pension issue being a big issue in attracting new employees with the wages we are putting in here.”

Tanner told town staff the town and the union “are so close” on a new contract.

Allen urged the union to tread cautiously when the two sides agree to meet again to follow up on the pension issue.

“There’s nothing wrong in you trying and our trying,” Allen said. “But if you come back and tell us you want us to pay for it all (except the mandated 3%), that’s a big problem that won’t fly.”