CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARBITRATOR'S DECISION

There are rumors floating around that all current firefighters will have to join the FPPA under the language of the contract.  Those are totally false rumors.  Here is the language that will appear in the new contract.

New Article – PENSION COVERAGE

Section 1.  All Fire Fighters hired on or after October 1, 2011 shall be covered by the Statewide Defined Benefit Pension Plan of the Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA).  The City shall contribute the amount set by the FPPA (currently 8.0%) and the fire fighters shall contribute the amount set by the FPPA (currently 8.0%).  All terms of the pension plan shall be set according to state law.

Section 2.  By October 1, 2011, Fire Fighters hired before that date shall choose to remain covered by the current money purchase plan or to be covered by one of the FPPA plans (Statewide Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Statewide Hybrid Plan or Money Purchase Component only).  The City shall continue to contribute 10.5% and the Fire Fighters shall continue to contribute 10.5% to whatever plan the Fire Fighter chooses, except for Fire Fighters who chose the Statewide Defined Benefit Pension Plan.  For those Fire Fighters, the contribution to the FPPA shall be 20% and 1% shall be contributed to an available deferred compensation plan as set forth in the Resolution referenced in Section 3.  All terms of the pension plan shall be set by the Board of Trustees of the current money purchase plan (for those who choose that option) or by state law (for those who choose one of the FPPA plans).

Section 3.  No later than December 1, 2010, the City shall complete and sign the Resolution required by the FPPA in a manner consistent with this Article. 

For those who want to know about the financial condition of the FPPA, they should read pages 31 through 43 of the fact finder’s decision that is still posted on this site. 

-Randy

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARBITRATOR'S DECISION

THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE!  YOU DID IT!

 WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. 

I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE WHEN I GET BACK.

THANK YOU RENIE PETERSON, BARB CLELAND, MOLLY MARKERT, MARSH BERZINS, SUE SANDSTROM, BRAD PIERCE, BOB FITZGERALD,  AND MAYOR ED TAUER FOR YOUR  SUPPORT!

MEMBERS,
      Don't Forget Jim Campbell's benefit Golf tourney is coming up on Sept 13, at the Evergreen Golf Course. Please try to attend. This year it benefits Mike Grosshans. Jim is also looking for help in collecting prizes. Please try to help!!  Contact Jim Campbell at Station 2 "C" shift for more information!
           

CLICK HERE FOR THE REGISTRATION FORM!!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ARBITRATION DECISION!!

Members, 

The Arbitrator has come back with a ruling. I have attached the entire ruling for you to read if you like...

The bottom line is that we were awarded all items we asked for, including the FPPA defined benefit plan, but we did not get the furlough language.  (What we had asked for is language protecting us from more than 24 hours of furloughs and the arbitrator did not award it.)

Now….what’s next? 

Well, we have to wait and see if the city will accept the arbitrators findings.  What has happened in the past, is the city will meet and discuss their options….then they call a meeting with our negotiations team and see if we will accept, modify, change, amend, etc. the arbitrators decision….and as I have said from day one-----if we go to arbitration, will accept the arbitrators decision. 

The city can choose to ignore the arbitrators decision (we do not have binding arbitration in this state) and take this to a vote of the people.  If they do, they will have to bear the entire cost of the election.  I believe the date to get things on the general election has passed (not sure of the exact date) but if it has, they will have to hold a special election.  I have been told that a special election would cost the city somewhere around $240,000-270,000 dollars and would be held before the end of the year. 

We all know that the city has fought us the entire way on this issue.  It would not surprise me if the city took this to the voters.  I hope they don’t.   

If they do, we will fight for this with everything we have.  90% of you said make this happen……… and we did.  We have come too far to stop now. 

As I find out more I will let you know.  

Randy