Make sure we have the microphone up close because it's due in the transcribe so we can have record of the meetings.

Um thank you all for coming out today.

Thanks for sending over that information this morning.

Um we have a presentation we're gonna run through.

We can pull that up.

Technical difficulties that's why I had avocado toast.

Sure, thank you.

So the presenters today, I guess so they can introduce yourself themselves and let you know what where they're from and what department they're from.

I think we've got a couple of new faces.

Sure.

I'm Monica Kretchmar.

I work in Central HR under Mary Wiggins, the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Hello everyone, Randy Marker.

I'm with the fire department, been with the department for 13 years.

Hi, good afternoon, Sasha Andonoski.

I'm with the Office of Management and Budget, and I will be presenting a couple of slides today.

Good afternoon, Robert Cortinas, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager.

I assume that's a deputy city manager.

James Younger, uh thirst third vice president of local 51.

Secretary Treasurer Local 51.

Jay Nicholson, President Local 51.

Jesse Estherline, second vice president, local fifty-one.

Trey Megason, uh Steward local 51.

Welcome and thank you for coming in today.

Thank you for having us.

Get this up shortly.

Yeah, thank you.

So real quick, I'm gonna just go over the agenda before I pass it on.

We're gonna do the recap of what you proposed last week.

We didn't include anything you sent over this morning, so to just be catching up from last week.

We're gonna have OMB go over the estimated cost of that proposal that you brought in last week.

We're gonna go have uh the team go over turnover recruitment and retention, and then some of the comparative analysis we've done with the with the comparative cities and the EIR ERI formula and what how they used it and how they got to that point.

And then there'll be a city proposal, and then we'll pass it on to you all for what you submitted this morning if you'd like to go over that.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, again, Sasha Andonosky, Office of Management and Budget.

Uh so this is uh the proposal that you uh gave us uh on uh 4-7 2026.

And I will just go quickly uh over your uh request.

Uh so number one was uh compensation or call increases of 7.5 percent uh for every year uh for the uh for the life of the of the next contract, which is 150 percent uh over the current contract, the current contract calls for three percent of uh colour.

Uh then we have uh increase of paramedic assignment pay from five percent to ten percent, uh field training officer pay at uh five percent uh above normal pay.

Uh you're asking for bilingual pay of 500 per year, medical mentor pay at uh five percent above normal salary by participating, communications assignment pay five percent, increase above normal pay, uh education pay increase uh for all levels by fifty dollars per month, uh increase to longevity pay uh from five dollars to ten dollars per month.

Uh Texas commission on fire protection certification pay by $50 per month.

Uh you're asking for fed uh uh flight medical and critical care paramedics incentive pay of uh PUP for five percent plus plus five percent for a total of ten percent while working on a ground critical care transport unit unit and pay of PUP five percent plus ten percent for a total of fifteen percent while working uh as a paramedic on an aircraft transport unit.

Uh speciality teams incentive space increased from 75 per month to 100 per uh dollars for per month and adding critical care paramedics and peer support members uh stuck at maximum of two teams for potential maximum for total of 300 dollars.

And uh last uh uh request uh ask is increase uh for working out of class pay uh to 10 percent.

Next slide.

So we did uh estimation of the variance uh for the proposal.

And uh so I can explain the way how this slide works.

So this is showing the variance from the previous year.

So uh the year the the date that you see that you see there, 9-1 2026 is the beginning of our fiscal year, uh, which corresponds with fiscal year 2027.

Uh so that number that you see there uh compares with our projection for fiscal year 2026 that will end of on August 31st, 2025, 2026.

And then we go forward 91 2027 corresponds with our fiscal year 2028, 91 2028 correspond with our fiscal year 2029, and 91 2029 corresponds with our fiscal year 2030.

Uh so we said we separated uh the the variances by categories.

Uh we are including cola and the fire step increases in the separate categories uh for better visibility, and then we in we are including incentive pay and and earnings in a separate category.

And at the bottom you do have uh the benefits uh uh the benefits variance.

Uh so we are looking at at total for the first year of variance of 16.6 million dollars, uh, which includes call out 7.5 percent.

As I mentioned, uh current cola is three percent uh which is 150 percent increase from the from the current contract.

Uh the first year has uh the highest uh variance because uh as you can see the the incentives right now uh we are we the is usually the incentives are uh we are calculating them based on the current contract.

So when you compare previous years with versus uh next year, the biggest variance will be in the first year.

So then when we go to the next years, you you already have the base and then year to next uh year to year.

Uh first uh uh second year of the contract, we are seeing increase of 14.2 million dollars, and then it will it will slightly start increasing again.

Uh for the for the whole uh life on the contract for the next four years, we are looking at uh 65.8 million dollars of uh variance or uh investment or increased uh to that number.

Uh and then with that uh I will turn over to our next presenter.

Well quick, if I can add what was Tanita's presentation in electronically as soon as this is over, we'll make sure you have a copy of it.

Hello again, everyone, Randy Marker of the Apassal Fire Department.

I'll be covering the next couple of slides related to attrition and recruiting.

So this information is uh related to our current retention and turnover rates.

Over the past four fiscal years, our turnover rate has remained at or below six percent.

Improving in FY25 to 5%.

And we do expect to close the year better than 5%.

So that trend will continue, I anticipate.

So class 107 is scheduled to begin on September 21st with 65 trainees and 15 alternates.

This class is expected to graduate in April 2027 and will be made up of a large number of candidates on a current list, which was created for 106 and the new recruitment that opened this month, meeting the number of needed candidates to supplement the rest of 107 in 18 minutes.

So Monica again.

Please remember I'm kind of multitasking challenge.

So if I don't skip the slide, please tell me because I kind of get wrapped up in what I'm saying.

Thank you.

So we're going to shift now from our internal metrics that Randy went over, and we're going to focus now on how our pay compares to the market.

So we're looking at external.

When we evaluate our market competitiveness, we are using the economic research institute geographic assessor data.

And so the assessor data adjusts for differences in cost of living and labor costs.

This allows us to compare wages from nine other cities on an equal basis by aligning them to El Paso's cost of living and labor costs.

By doing so, we ensure an equitable comparison by comparing apples to apples.

So the ERI data or the economic research institute data has been implemented in past uh collective bargaining processes for the police department.

I'm just throwing that out there.

Looking at the data, we're going to walk through, and I'll share with you, we'll grant it.

We're going to start on your left and work to the right.

You will see the comparative analysis, and it is adjusted for geographic differentials.

And everything being reported is reported on a bi-weekly basis.

Six of those residing in Texas, and three of those in New Mexico.

They are Albuquerque, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, Tucson, and Corpus Christi.

So when we're talking about the ERI platform, that information is captured in the geographic factor.

So for example, you're looking at Albuquerque, the geographic factor for this city is 1.131, which really translates what that's telling you is that the wages in Albuquerque are roughly 13.1% higher than El Paso.

Okay.

So when you look at El Paso, our geographic factor is one, because we're the baseline and we're norming everything against El Paso.

So having said that, that's a geographic actor factor.

So this is what the city actually reports.

So for, for example, Albuquerque, we're currently looking at the firefighter rank.

And it caps out or it maxes out at 2,444.

And it caps out or it maxes out at two thousand four hundred and forty-four dollars.

And that is with no adjustment.

If we scoop scooch, if we move over to the next column, you'll see a column titled adjusted minimum.

This is taking in consideration the baseline of El Paso.

So now we're comparing apples to apples.

So now Albuquerque's wage is actually when it were making a baseline to El Paso, translates to $1,543 for entry level or minimum, and an adjusted maximum of $2,161.

And then you can see the ranking, how we rank compare how all the cities and how we rank on our minimums and our maximums.

But just to uh kind of give you an overview about what you're getting ready to see for our maximums.

We are ranked fourth from the rank of firefighter to captain.

So we have nine cities.

Meaning four cities above the fifth rank are higher, and four cities below the fifth rank are lower.

So fifth is the actual true average, right?

So going back to my maximum statement, when we're looking at our adjusted maximums from firefighter rank to captain, we are fourth.

So that means we are slightly above the average.

Our adjusted minimum places us in the sixth rank.

So we're slightly below because we're number six.

Moving forward, the next rank we benchmarked was our fire suppression technician.

In El Paso, our entry adjusted minimum rank is number nine, and our maximum is number four.

We are currently right in the middle for our ahead of us, for our behind us.

We're number four, but you will see that three of our comparator cities do not have this rank.

They do not have this rank, they immediately go to the captain rank.

They function without this rank.

And for our adjusted minimum, and for our adjusted maximum, we're slightly above average at number four.

We're at an adjusted minimum rank of number eight, and our adjusted maximum rank of number six.

Good afternoon, Nicole Cody.

So this next portion.

The staff by steps.

So we of course we've got it also by rank, but we really wanted to show you all the percentage of the uniform employees that are at step 11.

So we've got 54 percent of the staff already at step 11.

And that being said, you might say, well, are they all ready for retirement and they're not?

So that represents about 504-ish firefighters.

But those that are eligible for retirement, we're only showing it about 215 and pension for tier one.

And you'll see that in the right-hand corner on that table.

And what we look at for each of the ranks and how we're ranking, and that we do have the majority of 54% of this of the uniform employees at the max step, which is step 11.

So our proposal today is to uh propose a cost of the living adjustment.

As they mentioned in the previous contract, it was 3% for FY 202.

We're recommending that it go to 2% for the next four years, but that we're really looking at the step increases and the minimum salaries based on the information that you just saw.

So based on uh how we're comparing to other cities, we want to ensure that we either maintain our place within the rankings or we improve our place within the rankings, really for the life of this contract moving forward.

And so with that, we're rec uh proposing to increase our entry-level salary for the firefighter, which would remove both step one and step three.

So that means it's increasing our minimum salary.

We also do this for the FST, the battalion chief, the deputy chief, and assistant chiefs.

And then we also eliminate um FS3 and FS 7, I believe.

They can get combined with the with the regular ranks to clean up the pay scales.

So in addition to that, we would recommend we're proposing to increase or add a new step for firefighter, FST battalion chief, deputy chief, and assistant chief.

In addition to that, uh as part of the incentive proposal, uh we are also proposing the flight medical paramedics assignment pay of 5% while working as a paramedic on this aircraft transport unit or fire star.

So when we look at this uh proposal, we have it broken down the same way that we broke down the union's proposal between the COLA and STEP changes, um, the incentive pay increases along with the benefits.

So our proposal for the life of the contract would be an increase of 37.7 million dollars in comparison to the proposal.

And that concludes our presentation for today.

We will be providing uh proposed pay scales that will outline the the changes we're proposing for the steps.

Okay, and then I think I'll turn it over to you, Chief.

Yes, we'll get those those pay scales set up so we can send them over.

We'll get that to you late next week and then we'll look at probably we can discuss it later.

But maybe the next meeting date when when do we want to set that up as next week or I'm gonna need a couple weeks on both sides to digest.

So I'll turn it over to you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

And thank you all for that presentation.

Uh jumping right in.

Uh if you don't mind, we'll start off with the examinations and promotions for item one under examinations and promotions.

Um that's gonna be section one, simply requesting a language change, kind of to clean up requesting language change from days to calendar days for the 30 and 60 requirements for vacancies.

And a little bit of further, it's on the historically there have been some minor issues delineating between the two.

So this will help to clean that up uh across the board.

This doesn't change the timing of the requirements under CBA Article 23, but again, we'll help to clear up some misunderstandings we've seen over the years.

Moving on to item number two.

This is also going to be examinations and promotions.

Article 23, Section 3A.

Again, language cleanup.

This will be to the new proposed language will be three points will be added to the score of an applicant taking a promotional exam who holds a locally credentialed paramedic certification.

As it currently reads, there's some confusion there or room for confusion there.

So again, this is language cleanup to get rid of that confusion.

Moving on to item three.

Currently, we maintain four assistant chiefs.

This will be in section nine.

Again, language cleanup.

Development of a promotional testing process that involves rank specific testing and development developing standardized testing procedures and manuals.

Excuse me, including but not limited to positions within special operations, the training academy, or 40-hour division head assignments or positions.

This is to address directly that what we've seen in recent history is that personnel are being skipped over in order to bring up let's call it preferred personnel where particular certifications did not come into play.

So this holds the line that if you're the next person up, then you're the next person to be promoted.

And if there are no questions, that's all I have from examinations and promotions.

No sir.

Alright.

Drug and alcohol testing policy.

This covers appendices G, H, and I, which we are looking to consolidate.

In the recent history of these appendices, their usage.

What we've seen is for the most part, the way that this thing was constructed.

There's a lot of cut and paste.

These were pulled from different and various organizations.

So in going through consolidating, redlining a lot of stuff, we're able to basically boil this down to workable document that covers everything that is already there, but again, just in one document, it's clear and concise.

Um and then younger, Captain Younger just gave you uh some information there on what that relight rewrite would look like.

Quick question.

I just have we gone over this with the chief or any of admin yet.

Or is this just first time being proposed?

There's been some talks amongst HR and amongst fire administration, we just haven't advanced far into it.

Gotcha.

Because it's the same policy that was originally drafted when it when it came in years ago.

So yeah.

Okay, we'll take a look at it.

Um moving on with the supplemental information there.

Uh this again is under appendices GH and I, drug and alcohol policy testing policy.

Uh the first uh supplemental form, local 51 is requesting if the employee did if the employee is determined to not be at fault for an MVA, then they should not be required to submit to post-accident drug and alcohol testing.

So in those cases where that employee, I don't know, got sideswiped at a red light or whatever it was, eliminating that requirement.

And then the next page of that, again, the same up same appendices.

The problem that we're seeing is in section 16 of that drug and alcohol policy, employees receive a 30-day suspension if they test positive during any form of drug and alcohol testing administered by the city.

Part of the requirement to return to duty is the completion of a drug and alcohol rehab program.

The intent of the policy is to enforce punishment in the form of a 30-day suspension.

Between a rehab program, time requirements, time needed to set up a rehab program, uh return to duty processes.

The employee is often required to use between 30 to 90 days of their own leave to complete the disciplinary process.

This affects the employee service time and places additional stressors on the employee and their family.

Our proposal is that the employee will only be issued a 30-day suspension if they fail to complete a city mandated approved drug and alcohol rehab program within 180 days from the initial positive test.

Those employees are still subject to the disciplinary matrix, and any relapse or second positive drug alcohol test during their career will subject them to actions up to and including termination.

Any questions on that one?

Not at this time.

I'll go through the policy.

Sir I know in part of the information that I sent you last night, sorry, it was like crazy late and I was half asleep.

I sent you some information reference over time extra board.

We are not prepared to present that today.

So we're gonna hold off that till hold off on that until the next meeting.

I'll have that ready to go for you.

Very good.

Did you did it?

We have any questions for anything that they just went over?

No.

And did you have any questions for anything we've gone over?

Uh questions being asked.

Initially, we were presented with five cities that were going to be our comparative cities.

Now we come back to the table and we're looking at 10 cities.

So the question is, how did we arrive at these 10 cities versus the five that we're initially looking at?

Remind me on the five.

Where was the five referenced?

They were presented in the first meeting with uh city manager Mac.

You recall that, Robert.

I have to go back and look.

We just we just picked comparable cities.

We added some that you had talked about, you specifically mentioned San Antonio, Dallas.

And so we wanted to make sure we captured all those.

We just took those cities and we're not set on, it's just we were looking at comparable locations in our area.

Okay.

The other question in regards to that is Tucson has been mentioned multiple times as one of the one of those comparative cities.

But it's my understanding Tucson hasn't had a new contract in over five years.

So I would think that they would be somewhat dated to use as a resource in comparison.

We'll take that.

Um and then finally in the counter proposal that was presented.

They're not off the table.

I think we could use some more clarity.

I like how you put this form together and you're giving us the topic, what what it is you want, what is going to benefit and how we can address that.

What do we get out of that?

So I just think taking another look at it.

Gotcha.

Sounds good.

Anything else?

Any questions?

No, sir.

What are you thinking about a uh next meeting date?

Um you want to take May first?

Yeah, let's take a couple.

That gives us two weeks?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

That gives us time.

Anything you need from us, the presentation we presented today.

No, but I would like to in that next meeting kind of round this out.

So we'll be looking to bring the overtime extra board stuff, of course.

Okay.

The um medical benefits information and get that stuff.

We saw that request, so they'll be working on that.

That's that's another reason why the two weeks out at least.

Yes, sir.

Yes.

I think that's it.

Very good.

All right.

Thank you all.

We'll see you May first.