STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
DATE: February 3, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Casey J. Day, Chief of Police
THRU: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Appoint Retired CalPERS Annuitant as Extra Help, Part-time Reserve Police Officer for the Fortuna Police Department, Resolution 2025-01 STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council adopt Resolution 2025-01, and authorize the Fortuna Police Chief to hire Officer Alan Mendes, a retired CalPERS Retired Annuitant, to serve as a Reserve Police Officer for the City of Fortuna in order to provide as-needed law enforcement services. This appointment will support operational flexibility, curb staffing issues, reduce overtime costs, and maintain public safety standards.
EXECUTIVE SUMAMRY & BACKGROUND:
Mr. Mendes was selected as a candidate for a Reserve Officer position. This position will be utilized on an As-Needed basis and/or for special events. He is retired from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, in which, along with the City of Fortuna, falls under the CalPERS retirement system. State and federal laws provide specific employment restrictions for retirees who return to work with an employer in the same public employment retirement system from which they receive a benefit. These restrictions are intended to prevent the “double dipping” of a retiree receiving a monthly retirement benefit while also receiving a salary from regular employment within that same retirement system. Due to these restrictions, he is not able to fill a permanent police officer position.
However, due to staffing shortages, the City would benefit from hiring Mr. Mendes as a retired annuitant to fill a Reserve Police Officer position. According to Cal PERS retirement regulations, a retired employee returning to work for another CalPERS agency has stipulations where employees continuing beyond retirement cannot exceed 960 hours per fiscal year. The limitation of working 960 hours or less per fiscal year equates to about 18 hours per week of work. Mr.
Mendes would be working significantly less than 18 hours per week.
The Fortuna Police Department continues to experience staffing challenges and desires to balance the demands of public safety with budgetary constraints. Staffing shortages, unanticipated absences, special events, and increased service demands often result in a reliance on overtime to maintain minimum staffing levels. While the department has managed these challenges effectively, overtime utilization presents significant budgetary impacts and places additional strain on fulltime staff.
Business Item 5e
Business Item 5e
Reserve police officers provide an efficient and cost-effective solution, as they are highly trained and able to respond on an as-needed basis without requiring the full-time salary and benefits package of a regular officer. Mr. Mendes, a POST-certified candidate with prior law enforcement experience, has been identified as an ideal candidate and an excellent addition to our reserve force.
DISCUSSION:
Hiring Mr. Mendes as a Reserve Police Officer will allow the Department to:
1. Reduce Overtime Costs: A reserve officer can fill critical staffing gaps without incurring the higher expenses associated with overtime pay.
2. Enhance Operational Flexibility: By deploying Mr. Mendes on an as-needed basis, the Department can better respond to peak demand periods, such as community events, holiday patrols, or emergency situations.
3. Support Officer Wellness: The availability of a reserve officer will help alleviate the workload on full-time officers, reducing burnout and enhancing overall effectiveness.
Mr. Mendes possesses the qualifications, training, and commitment required to serve in this role.
His inclusion will bolster the department’s capacity to meet its mission of providing exceptional service to the Fortuna community while exercising fiscal responsibility.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The addition of a reserve officer is expected to result in cost savings by mitigating some of the overtime expenses. Reserve officers are compensated at an hourly rate, significantly lower than the overtime rate for full-time staff, providing a more sustainable financial model for addressing temporary staffing needs.
COMPENSATION RECOMMENDATION:
Mr. Mendes brings over 35 years of combined and diversified service to the Fortuna Police Department. Mr. Mendes has also served the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Courts, Drug Task Force, Ferndale Police Department, and the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department.
Based on Mr. Mendes education, training, and lengthy experience, staff recommends compensating Mr. Mendes at the top step hourly rate of $22.7659 per hour. Staff requests that Council authorize the City Manager and Police Chief to execute an extra ordinary step increase to top step based on his education, training, and experience.
CONCLUSION:
The Fortuna Police Department is committed to maintaining public safety while ensuring responsible use of taxpayer resources. The addition of Mr. Mendes as a Reserve Police Officer will provide immediate operational benefits, reduce overtime expenditures, and contribute to the Department’s overall efficiency.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions with staff Business Item 5e
2. Open Public Comment
3. Close Public Comment
4. Motion to adopt Resolution 2025-01, and read by title only. Roll call vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Resolution 2025-01: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Fortuna Appointing Retired Annuitant Alan Mendes as a Reserve Officer for the Fortuna Police Department • A Guide to CalPERS Employment After Retirement