CITIZENS TO PUSH FOR MUNICIPAL BOND FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT
UPDATED June 28, 2008
A band of Palm Bay Citizens will approach the City Council on July 3 in the hopes of convincing City Council to have the City Manager and Fire Chief seek a $17 million dollar Municipal Bond for Capital Improvements to the Fire Department. If approved by Council, the City Manager and Fire Chief will begin the process of educating the citizens of Palm Bay who will have to vote for the measure. If fast enough, the Bond issue will be on the August 2008 Primary Ballot. If not, it will go onto the November 2008 General Election Ballot. Citizens will have to approve the measure and there will be foes who will want to turn it down. If approved, the bond will provide the following:

Complete Rebuild of Station 2 (92) (Fire use only) Construction and New Location for Station 5 (94) (Public Safety Building, not a trailer)
Construction of Bayside Lakes, Station 6 (95) (Public Safety Building)
Purchase of a Quint Fire Apparatus for Station 2 Construction of a Training Center Purchase of Mobile Burn Simulator
Purchase of a SCBA Cascade Vehicle
Purchase of mobile Rehab Vehicle

Our local will be asked to assist in endorsing the bond measure and members will be needed to help bring the issue to the public. Back in 1993 our local was very instrumental in getting voters to approve a referendum to improve Fire and Police Services, and we will be asked to do it again.
We will have more information on this after the July 3 City Council meeting.
The construction of new Station 1 (90), slated to be a 4 Bay, 3 Story building will be done whether or not the bond issue passes the voters. Currently, the city and department are looking at building the new Station 1 on the site where the current station now sits. Plans for moving it to the east side water treatment plant have been dropped, and plans to build it at the corner of Palm Bay Road and Lipsomb have also fallen through.

PENSION UPDATE
UPDATED June 20, 2008
After what appeared to be a “no issue” regarding our use of Chapter 175 funds, we have been stalled.  The city has requested a thirty year cost out of the benefit and this request, in the union opinion is irregular and seeks to undermine the Police and Fire Pension Board’s Actuarial firm.  The union has filed a written objection with the city regarding the use of another actuarial firm to cost out the benefit.  The State of Florida will recognize only our Pension Board actuarial firm’s calculations.  We feel the city is now stalling us in our use of Chapter 175 funds.  The benefit which is retro-active back to October 2007 will increase our monthly supplement from the current $458 to $642 plus a disability supplement of $189 monthly, and 120 payments guaranteed.  Currently, the supplement expires if you should die.  This guarantee allows for the continuation of the benefit to your beneficiaries should you pass away before 120 payments are made. 

We are also still working on revising the DROP ordinance to allow an employee to withdraw up to seventy five percent of DROP funds upon leaving the city, while retaining up to twenty five percent until the end of the given quarter, plus six weeks.  Currently, no employee can withdraw DROP funds when leaving the city until the end of the given quarter plus six weeks.  A letter of intent was signed by the union and city to request the pension boards assistance in preparing for the change. 

COURT RULES AGAINST CITY CHANGING WORK DAYS
INSPECTORS THREATENED WITH PRIVATIZATION
UPDATED May 28, 2008
The constant barrage continues between the City and the Union Fire Inspectors.  After being mandated by the City to work Memorial Day Weekend in exchange for another day off sometime later the following week, the Union filed an immediate Grievance and threatened Court action if the grievance was not resolved in the Union favor.  The mandate is a gross violation of the contract at Article 32, Hours of Work.  The city is permitted by contract to change work hours, not work days.  Past Practice has shown that overtime has been paid to inspectors who are called upon to work on weekends.  When the grievance was denied by Chief Abraira, it went to the City level.  The union requested at the city level that the city manager be present at the grievance hearing in order to expedite a response as the Memorial Day holiday was quickly approaching.  The city manager did not appear at the hearing.  The union, after the hearing at the city level filed for a Court ordered Injunction against the act to allow for arbitration later in the summer and to prevent the Fire Inspectors from having to work over the Memorial Day holiday.  The Court agreed with the Union and issued the injunction. 
As a result of the Injunction, the city pulled out of the public event that caused the inspectors to have to work in the first place.  The city would not pay overtime for the event and so, did not participate in the event.  The case will be heard by an arbitrator later this summer.  The Chief and City Manager feel they have the right to change work days when necessary and the Union, by contract say they do not.  That will be the issue presented to the arbitrator. 

In further developments, the City has informed the Union Fire Inspectors through the Fire Marshall, and the Union has been notified verbally by the Chief that they are researching the possibility of letting them go and hiring a private firm to perform Fire Prevention and Public Education.  This looks to be our next issue with this battered group within our bargaining unit. 

LAYOFF/REHIRE ARBITRATION CASE
UPDATED June 20, 2008    
The long process related to Mike Havener’s Layoff and Rehire Arbitration continues.  The date set for the hearing is not until November 5, 2008 which is fifteen months after the incident occurred.  Mike has lost over $20,000 in annual salary as a result.  The case involves the Layoff of Mike Havener as the Senior Fire Inspector and his rehire as a Fire Inspector.  Contract language is quite clear on this and the union will not waive in its belief the Mike was wronged severely in this action.