July 22, 2025
Agenda Item No. 8
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Grace K. Leung, City Manager - 949-644-3001, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Barbara J. Salvini, Human Resources Director - 949-644-3259, [email protected] TITLE:
Resolution No. 2025-47: Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding with the Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association (NBLMA) and Associated Salary Schedule ABSTRACT:
The Tentative Agreement regarding a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association (NBLMA or Association) was presented at the City Council’s July 8, 2025, regular meeting to provide the City Council and the community an opportunity to consider the terms and costs of the agreement.
The proposed MOU is now presented for the City Council’s approval/adoption (or rejection) and is the final step in the meet and confer process with the NBLMA. Included in the recommendation for approval of the MOU are the associated salary schedules, including the schedules for the assistant chief, Lifeguard Operations, whose salary adjustments are tied to those provided to the NBLMA. The associated salary schedules are included in the recommendation for approval of the MOU. The attached budget amendment, Budget Amendment No. 26-010, appropriates $233,595 in funding to implement the costs associated with the agreement for the current fiscal year.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; Adopt Resolution No. 2025-47, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association and Amending the Salary Schedule for the Association Unit Members and Assistant Chief, Lifeguard Operations; Approve Budget Amendment No. 26-010 appropriating $233,595 increased expenditures in various City division salary and benefit accounts from unappropriated General Fund balances; and Approve and adopt the revisions to the Citywide salary schedule for those Key and Management safety employees who tie to the Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association for cost-of-living and/or salary adjustments.
DISCUSSION:
The following discussion was provided, in part, with the July 8, 2025, staff report and is included here for reference:
The NBLMA is an exclusively recognized bargaining unit representing the full-time lifeguard battalion chief, lifeguard captain and lifeguard officer classifications. The group is budgeted for 14 full-time positions.
Key provisions of the Tentative Agreement between the City and NBLMA include:
Term: July 12, 2025, through June 30, 2028
Salary Adjustments:
July 12, 2025 – 4%
July 2026 – 4%
July 2027 – 4%
Equity Adjustments: 2% equity adjustment for all unit members Salary schedule adjustments for the full-time lifeguard officer positions Clarifying language regarding compensatory time off
Enhanced scholastic achievement pays
A 4.5% increase in pay for employees temporarily working in higher level classifications (for a total of 9.5%) An additional 10% in base pay for the training lifeguard captain classification.
An additional 48 hours annually of leave (referred to as non-accrued leave) Medical Insurance: The City will contribute $2,045 per month (plus the minimum CalPERS participating employee contribution) to each member’s cafeteria plan.
The City has been informed the majority of NBLMA members have ratified this Tentative Agreement and proposed MOU. The City Council reviewed the Tentative Agreement and proposed MOU with the NBLMA at its regular meeting of July 8, 2025, after which the costing information and proposed revisions to the MOU were posted for public review on the City’s website. A final version of the successor MOU is being presented in accordance with Government Code §3505.1. The total cost of the NBLMA MOU is approximately $1.1 million.
The Agreement will not become effective until the City Council formally adopts it. If approved at the July 22, 2025, City Council meeting, City staff will implement the provisions accordingly.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Detailed cost information is provided in Attachment B. Since the MOU covers the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, it will result in the following annual fiscal impacts to implement the terms of the agreement, totaling $1,103,862:
Fiscal Year
Amount
2025/26
$ 267,945
2026/27
$ 366,638
2027/28
$ 469,279
Total
$1,103,862
A budget amendment is required to appropriate $233,595 from the General Fund unappropriated surplus fund balance to implement the agreement for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Resolution No. 2025-47
Attachment B – Estimated Cost of Contract with the NBLMA Attachment C – Budget Amendment
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Resolution No. 2025-47: Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding with the Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association (NBLMA) and Associated Salary Schedule July 22, 2025
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