So before I let me get started, as we're talking through this, we're going to use uh the computer to pick up our conversations throughout this entire process.

So make sure we're always using the microphones.

And so I was just explaining to city manager.

Jay's Jay had some family obligations today, so he won't be able to make it.

They did just inform me they're going to have six members on their negotiation team.

Okay.

And so let Ms.

Mac kick it off with her opening statement, and then we can go down any other items you would like to discuss today.

Sure.

Yeah, thank you so much.

Um we're we know that this will be an amical process, and we know there's a lot of work to get done.

Um had the pleasure working with the board a couple of years ago on one of the negotiations, and so we know there's a lot of work and a lot of learning that happens.

I've always been impressed by uh the amount of preparation that happens, you know, in those committees and really sort of coming to the table with some well thought out plans.

Uh we want to make sure we're starting with the big ticket items if possible, you know, really starting to dig into um both salaries and healthcare, which really are going to be the things that I think are going to be um the heavier items and then sort of move forward.

I know there were some concerns about um the ground rules and things, and so we really want to make sure we're working through some of those items today so that you all can feel comfortable that you have the time, and we just want to explain to you some of what we're looking at on the budget side so you can kind of understand why we're trying to align with some timelines.

And I'll turn it back over to the chief so we can do four more introductions for the record.

Right.

So for the cities negotiation team, it's gonna be we're sitting right here.

But we'll have DCM Cody, DCM Geta, our CFO Robert Cortines, and Sasha Landrosco, Drosky with our budgeting and Randy from Fire, as you know, right.

And so this will be the city's team, and then we look forward to meeting your all's team next meeting.

Um do you want to just jump right into the ground rules and any comments, questions you have on that one?

First of all, I want to say thank you for agreeing to meet to meet with us.

I was part of the I was on the bargaining team the last time we negotiated, so I was really happy with the way the process went.

There really weren't any big issues, big hiccups back then.

It was smooth, both sides were respectful.

So I appreciate the kind words, ma'am.

Um that's good to know that we're walking in and we're already kind of in agreement on how we're gonna conduct ourselves.

So I'm happy about that.

I'm looking forward to that.

So thank you for that.

Um we did have a couple of questions concerning your letter with the ground rules, and that's really what we were hoping to clarify in this meeting if you're willing to discuss those.

Okay.

So in your letter dated February 13th, uh, you laid out 11 ground rules as well as the overall uh idea of how our our negotiations would go.

So bargaining good faith, that's not an issue for us.

We commit to being fully transparent, and that's one of the rules in there.

But there were two rules that um that we did not agree to, both of them dealt with timelines.

Um, and I'll if you have questions concerning uh the timelines, I can explain those.

But also rule number seven.

So we understand open meetings as part of the Texas law, and we're required to have open meetings.

Uh, but we wanted a clarification on what designates or constitutes resource persons and designated consultants.

So for us, you know, that really leans into anybody we're bringing to the table who might be doing some evaluation for us.

When we were looking at this, you know, if we have a need to really understand more in-depth in terms of the benefit package, we might have somebody who's coming in to sort of explain to you some of the insurance pieces at a deep at a deeper level.

So it allow for us to be able to say we want to bring in someone like that to do a special presentation that's not sitting at the table here because I don't have um although Randy is representing um HR fire HR, I don't have anybody sitting here who may be one of the deeper specialists in some of the benefit areas.

In the past, those have been some of the things I think we've spent a quite a bit of time on, really understanding the implications of the of the benefits package, what that really means.

Um we've talked about shape it up and some of those things in the past, and so it really just gives that um authority.

From our perspective, if we're talking about these meetings, none of that would be a surprise to you.

Um we know that we have to have all the meetings posted, and so you would know, you know, by our minutes what we're planning to talk about at the next meeting.

And if we're bringing somebody in, we will let you know in advance, you know, who that person is and what they would be covering, because you would have the agenda.

Thank you for that.

I understand the the consultants, the need for the consultants, but I I would like to remind everybody, not in the last two contracts, but prior to that, some consultants were brought in by the city that really made the contract negotiations contentious.

And we don't we're not looking we don't want that.

That's not what we're looking for.

So if this is the bargaining team, then we're we're good with that.

We know who we're dealing with.

But um since you the meetings are posted, we'll have a we'll have an idea of who you're bringing in as specialists, but we'll do the same as well because we are planning to do that as well.

So where we we know we've done in the past is that we have not brought in, we're not looking to bring in anybody to negotiate on our behalf.

We're not looking at bringing anybody who you know from our legal team, any of those outsized pieces specifically for this, the person who helps us with our benefit package is a consultant.

And so I was only thinking about it in that way, and I'm fine with changing the language to say benefits consultant.

Um, in you know, if that's more comfortable for you.

You can leave the wording there.

We just wanted clarification in this meeting what constitutes a resource specialist.

Yeah, so my intention is you know to keep this you know casual among the folks who are here at the table.

I think that we all know each other well and well enough to be able to provide this information.

I think we have enough reports in terms of some of that work, um, but I do want to make sure that there's something that you want to get clarification on.

I'm not assuming that whoever is sitting at the table this round, you know, have the same depth of knowledge regarding you know our plans and some of the other things that we've done, and if that's something that's um important for you to have, we want to make sure that all the resources you need in terms of reporting or explanations are gonna be offered to the team so that they can make the sound judgment and decisions on behalf of the body before they vote.

Understood, thank you, ma'am.

You're welcome, sir.

Rule 11 also brought up another question on the use of the term contemporaneous document.

We just wanted clarification on what that means.

In legal terms, we understand what that means.

But the contemporaneous document when used in in this specific situation also refers to handwritten notes.

If we're in a bargaining session and I make a write a note on my notepad, is that going to be the expectation that all notes would have to be exchanged?

So we haven't done all notes in the past.

What we've done is if we are having a discussion and we prepared some type of analysis, we've ensured that that is available to both sides, and we do have to make sure that we have good notes on schedule for this.

And so we're making sure that everything is being recorded.

And if there's any other backup documentation, we want to make sure that that's also attached for the notes.

So we really are looking at it in terms of that way.

We don't need your individual notes, we don't need anything that has been produced, you know, in your individual, you know, team preparation.

Um we're intending to give you some documents today that can help you to start some of those discussions.

We're seeing that as being part of our actual record for beginning this discussion.

Understood.

So more professionally produced documents that are related to the topic in here.

Correct.

So if we we go five years from now and try to understand what decisions we were making, it's not you know, we're all trying to figure out what did we say, what do we think about in terms of what we actually landed in the contract with, so we have all those documents.

That's good, because my handwriting is horrible.

And you probably have a very hard time reading my recording.

Yeah.

Uh one other thing under Rule 11.

Um, just an understanding to follow the Texas Public Information Act.

So, you know, we're we're up to speed on on what that means, and um, I'm assuming that those requests will be coming in.

Um just a just an understanding that we're gonna abide by by that law when it comes to bargaining session.

That was really the only other thing under Rule 11.

And so for us, we want to make sure that all of you know the documents are in one place.

We want to make sure they're very transparent.

In the past, we've had a link under the um city clerk's office, and so it actually says, you know, fire bargaining, and so if there's any documents that we want to upload, just like we would for city council meeting, they would be there.

So anybody who can't attend, you know, they have the opportunity to go back and they can watch the video or they can look at what the agenda was for that meeting.

We want to make sure from a public um open records perspective and Texas uh meeting that we're posting, you know, accurately.

That's part of the timeline piece because I was trying to figure out how we get to a cadence where we can go ahead and publish the schedule.

So if we say, okay, we're gonna start in two weeks, you know, we may not be discussing the same level of information every two weeks, but it keeps us on a cadence where we know that we're gonna come together, we're gonna try to continue to move it forward, um, and because we do have some state regulations that say we once we start bargaining, we have 60 days.

So that's how we were really thinking about it.

And if we get an open records request, you know, of course, our city attorney's office will decide what can be published and what can't be published.

But I mean this this is very transparent.

I mean, all of this will be published on the website.

Yes, ma'am, thank you.

And the other the other two items were rules two and three, which laid out a timeline.

February 27 today was supposed to be the kickoff meeting.

Um we don't consider this a kickoff meeting because we haven't agreed to any timelines with with March 15th being the uh the uh the final day of negotiations.

Um talking to our our team, that's not a timeline that we can abide by.

So what we were hoping that would happen by March 15th was you would give us the overall categories of things that you're working on.

I think the section clearly says that additional proposals and counter proposals, you know, certainly can come at a later date, but I'm really just trying to get the numbers so that I can do a budget.

I'm just gonna be honest with you.

It's like if we're talking about the contract starting September 1, we're gonna we're already in budget.

Yes.

And so we want to make sure that as in the past, we've always tried to do these negotiations so that we can have some sense of what the cost might be as we're developing the budget.

We'll be presenting those budgets in about June or July.

Yes, ma'am.

Um I think last year we we adopted a little bit later, like in August.

But if you're thinking about putting any type of financials that need to be in place and in the system to give our our you know, HR people the team to get all those things set up.

I'm really trying to make sure that we have enough time to be able to do those things.

We have the uh ability to you know give each other extensions on this to a certain degree until we sort of get to a place where we don't have agreement and then some other provisions sort of move into place.

But for us, it would very much was about we need to get moving.

I'm kept saying, Mario, are you ready?

Are you ready?

So I don't want you to feel that you won't have the time that you need, but I want to make sure that we are starting to get ourselves ready to say we need to have a conversation and a discussion with it.

And it doesn't mean that it has to be um you know comprehensive in terms of the first one or two or three things that you all are thinking about.

And we understand that we want to be considerative of that.

That has been a uh topic of discussion in our meetings, um, making sure that we're as um considerate of those timelines that you all have concerning the budget.

So those are that is a consideration for us.

Don't think that we're dragging it out just to drag it out.

So give me a date.

I can't give you a date until I talk to Jay about it, and he's he's in Chicago right now.

Okay.

Yeah.

But we are it we are sensitive to that.

We know that.

Uh, but looking at my notes from the last uh negotiations, I think we're negotiating in May or June.

We don't want to drag it out that far, I'll tell you that.

Um, but we are aware of the budget process, how it works, and we know it's starting.

So we want to do our best to make sure that we help you meet those deadlines that you might have.

Yep.

But I think we've always started around this time frame, though.

Right.

It's always been spring to give ourselves a little bit of time with it.

So I mean, I would welcome a date so that we can get this back to you revised and so we can get some of the schedules together.

Um we will be providing some demographic information that might be useful for you in terms of thinking about it.

I would like to just get this revised to whatever we can agree upon moving forward, and then you know what I'll also do is you know, work with um our OMB to kind of understand some of those dates and times.

At the end of the day, you know, we're not done by September, our the contract moves forward, you know, as it is right now, and so it's not as if we're talking about uh you know any interruption in benefits or anything like that for anybody, but I just want to make sure we've got some expectations around it, and we're not sort of kicking it a little bit.

And we'll do our best.

I could probably if I could, Efren.

Uh, in talking with Jay last earlier this week, he was he was telling me it was about four to six weeks you all needed to prepare before you could get something back.

So we're supposed to meet up early next week just to find out when that will be correct.

And once we hear from him, what we'll do is send us revise the areas that were unclear, we'll clarify as well, just to make sure you don't, you know, if we're saying too much, we'll take it out.

This is really the first time we've kind of tried to do this.

But I think because we have changes in leadership, it really is just uh a good practice for us to sort of put things in a writing in terms of expectations, and so no one's really surprised um about the expectations and how we move forward.

So be happy to get that done for you.

Very good.

Gentlemen, do you have any comments or questions?

We skip the introductions, Chief.

Sorry about that.

If if you don't mind, just these uh gentlemen are probably on our bargaining team, so um I'll allow them to introduce themselves if if that's okay.

Hello, everybody again.

Uh Jess Yeshlein, I'm the second vice president for local 51.

Hello, I'm George Cortez.

I'm the first vice president.

And how long have you been with the fire department and where do you work?

I've been at the fire department for 10 years.

Um currently uh swing lieutenant to battalion one downtown on B shift.

And I've been on the department 32 years, uh battalion for B shift.

So then we'll talk.

So then we I will talk with Jay next week.

I'm just I'm sure you will as well, and we will figure out what that next date looks like, and we'll come back in the meantime.

As we get our stuff prepared, we'll go ahead and publish that with you so you know it and you have it, and you can use it for some of your planning and for your requests going into the negotiations.

So our first one will be our uniform demographic report.

We'll get that to you.

We'll send it electronically, but I'll give you a copy right now.

And in this way you already have that, and so you're looking at what we're looking at as far as where we land today.

Any other questions or just a quick question?

Um state, maybe next month you'd kind of want an idea of where we're at or what our main goals are.

Just confirming we're just gonna give you our top priorities or or the goals of it, but that that in depth, correct?

I I think as we are like if you're coming back and you're telling us, you know, here's what we're looking at, you know, from a salary perspective, or here's what we're looking at from a benefits perspective.

What we do on our side is we'll have our team run those numbers, and so we'll start to kind of get some sense of what the costs are around some of those, and so it gives us time to do the back and forth, so we will hear from you.

We'll go off that off week to actually run the numbers, and so then when we're coming back, we're all looking at you know what that impact looks like, and then we can keep going in terms of what those priorities are.

I think it's hard for you all to sort of say this is the highest priority when you don't know what it costs, right?

And so you may say that you know, for us, you know, it may be some of the benefit packages that are more important, or it may be salary and steps that are more important, and you may be spending all your time with looking at some of the incentives, but you've already, you know, you already know that those are going to be the categories that you really want to focus on.

So as soon as we kind of understand what those are, and we kind of even say what your initial asks are, we can start running numbers, and so you'll have some context, you know, to some of those discussions and conversations that you may be having in your small groups.

I think that's all the questions we have.

Um, just for the record, my name is Zephyr Roldless.

I'm a battalion chief, been on the job 29 years, and I currently work at headquarters in charge of community risk reduction.

So I've been doing that for about four, a little over maybe about four years.

So community risk reduction is the division that deals with all public education uh safety training.

So with that, I'm Mario DiAgostino.

I've been with the city manager's office now for about three years.

I've been with the city for a little over 30 something.

Um go ahead and pass it on down.

Okay.

Nicole Cody, I've been with the city 21 years this March.

Um, and before I was with the Office of Management and Budget, and I'm a deputy city manager with the city manager's office.

Oh, they know I've been used.

Good afternoon.

Um I've been with the city for 19 years, um, this past December, so coming up on 20.

And I've before this, I was with the IT department, and now I'm in the city manager's office as a deputy city manager.

Barbara Cortine is deputy city manager and chief financial officer of the city for almost 19 years.

As DCM and CFO for the last eight years.

Hi, Sasha Andoroski, Office of Management of the Budget.

I've been with the City about 10 years, uh, start to IMB, then move to San Metro and return to IMB.

All right, Randy Marker.

I am the administrative and strategic initiatives manager for FIRE.

I've been with the department for 13 years.

I don't know if we need to say for the record, but um DCM D'Agasino will be our chief negotiator and our point of contact, and all the rest of us are just you know in support.

Um our team is mostly set.

I will we'll let you know beginning of next week who our team is going to be.

But uh the president is historically the lead negotiator on our side, which is Mr.

Nicholson.

Well, thank you.

Uh I don't know if there's any are there any other questions for us.

Just let us know if there's anything we need to prepare.

I think we're primarily using this space because we can have the recordings done, you know, relatively easily.

I know that parking can be some challenges downtown, but we'll try to pick some times to kind of make sense for folks who may want to come.

I know sometimes you have folks who just want to come and observe, and so we'll try to make some accommodations for that as well.

And I think you might have some capacity, Chiefwood, check with Chief Gillings up here at the parking lot.

Yes, sir.

Well, thank you very much to all of you for agreeing to meet with us.

Looking forward to the process.

Last time was pretty pretty seamless.

I'm hoping it's the same way this time around.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.