City of Corona
Staff Report
400 S. Vicentia Ave.
Corona, CA 92882
File #: 22-0589
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCILACTION
DATE: 07/06/2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Human Resources Department
SUBJECT:
Side Letter with City of Corona Firefighters Association, IAFF, Local 3757 on Planned Position Vacancy.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
City Council consideration for approval of the Side Letter with the Corona Firefighters Association (“CFA”) to eliminate a planned position vacancy in the classification of Firefighter Paramedic. The elimination date in the CFA Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU’) currently documents a December 31, 2023 date for the end of the planned position vacancy for this classification. With approval of the Side Letter with CFA, the Firefighter Paramedic planned position vacancy will end on July 6, 2022.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to approve the attached Side Letter of Agreement modifying the 2022-2024 Memorandum of Understanding between the Corona Fire Association, IAFF, Local 3757 and the City of Corona.
b. Approve an appropriation of $7,998 from the General Fund balance to the Fire Department’s salary and benefits budget for the change in the planned position vacancy per the Side Letter of Agreement.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Section 8.3 - Planned Position Vacancy of the current 2022-2024 MOU between the City of Corona and CFA includes language that calls for planned position vacancies for various Fire Department positions within the City. Planned vacancies can have the effect of providing cost savings to the City; however, it can also have an impact on existing staff by increasing the workload. Under normal City of Corona Page 1 of 3 Printed on 6/29/2022 powered by Legistar™
File #: 22-0589
however, it can also have an impact on existing staff by increasing the workload. Under normal conditions, the number of planned vacancies is the equivalent to the staffing of one full Engine Company (four personnel) per shift each day (i.e., each of the three platoons A, B, and C shift).
These planned vacancies were achieved through prior attrition and have been filled with constant staffing by suppression personnel. During the most recent MOU negotiations, the use of planned position vacancies is to be eliminated over time.
Effective January 1, 2022, one of the shifts that has a planned position vacancy was eliminated. One (1) of the 3 platoons does not have a planned position vacancy. The staffing for that platoon is now supported with budgeted full-time staff positions.
Effective December 31, 2023, an additional shift that has a planned position vacancy will be eliminated. A total of 2 of the 3 platoons will not have a planned position vacancy. The staffing for both platoons at that point will be accomplished with budgeted full-time staff positions.
Effective December 31, 2025, the remaining planned position vacancy will be eliminated.
ANALYSIS:
The Corona Firefighters Association in collaboration with City of Corona Fire Administration worked on the proposal to support daily staffing impacts and the addition of two paramedic squads in Fiscal Year 2023. The new squads are staffed with Firefighter Paramedics. In addition to assisting in the decrease of mandatory overtime, eliminating a Firefighter Paramedic planned vacancy position in the CFA MOU will help increase the responsiveness providing better service to the City of Corona Residents.
The Side Letter with CFA, Section 8.3 - Planed Position Vacancy will now include the following language:
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions in this Section 8.3, effective July 6, 2022, a planned position vacancy in the classification of Firefighter Paramedic which was planned to be eliminated effective December 31, 2023, will be eliminated. The other classifications in the platoon whose planned position vacancy is scheduled to end on December 31, 2023, will remain as planned position vacancies until December 31, 2023.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
With approval of the Side Letter of Agreement, one Firefighter Paramedic position will no longer be considered a planned vacancy. This action does not change the Department position count but does change how the position is budgeted. As a planned vacancy, the position is currently budgeted in overtime. With approval of the recommended actions, the overtime budget will be reduced and transferred into line items for regular full-time salary/benefits. The full-time salary/benefits will be increased by $159,956. The overtime budget will be reduced by $151,958, offsetting approximately 95% of the full-time position costs. The difference of $7,998 will be appropriated from the General Fund to the Fire Department’s budget.
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File #: 22-0589
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action simply approves a change to an existing MOU, and there is no possibility that approving this request will have a significant effect on the environment.
Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: REBECCA CHRISTOPHER, HUMAN RESOURCES SUPERVISOR REVIEWED BY: KIM SITTON, FINANCE DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Side Letter to the 2021-2024 CFA MOU
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