Tempers flare as Costa Mesa council approves new firefighters contract

Tempers flared Tuesday night as Costa Mesa City Council members exchanged verbal barbs before eventually approving a new contract with the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn.

Supporting the contract were Mayor Katrina Foley, Mayor Pro Tem Sandy Genis and Councilman John Stephens, who praised it as a hard-bargained deal that is fair for both sides.

On the other end were council members Allan Mansoor and Jim Righeimer, who said they’re concerned about the contract’s financial ramifications and whether it could affect the city’s unfunded pension liability.

While the divide is not new — council members have drawn the same battle lines over previous employee contract proposals — Tuesday’s hearing had an edge to it.

Foley said the 10-month contract negotiation “took a lot of effort, it took a lot of compromise, a lot of ideas and solutions that were offered mainly by the three of us and not much on the bookends” — a reference to Mansoor and Righeimer, who sit on the edges of the council dais.

She accused the two of “political grandstanding” and rehashing old talking points rather than offering meaningful ideas to address their concerns.

“It doesn’t solve the problem,” Foley said. “We actually need to pay our employees a fair wage so they can take care of their families, have stability in their lives and do a good job for us.”

Righeimer bristled at her remarks and contended the contract talks took so long because the association “figured they owned” Foley and asked for “outrageous” things during the negotiations.

“You weren’t representing the people of the city, you were representing the firefighters, and that’s the problem I have,” he told Foley. “And I would have just kept my mouth shut about it, but you’ve got to do your stupid ‘bookend’ comment. I’m an elected official in this community. I deserve your respect.”

At the end of the meeting at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Mansoor described the “bookends” comment as “very rude and un-mayoral” — prompting an apology from Foley.

The approved contract runs through June 30, 2021. It outlines four 3% pay raises for the 73 members of the Firefighters Assn. between now and Jan. 1, 2019.

Those employees also will increase the amount they contribute toward their pensions from 5% of their salaries to 14%.

“This has been a long time in the making, but I believe we have reached an agreement that is both fair for our city and fair for our firefighters on the front lines,” association President Rob Gagne said Tuesday. “As you know, the Costa Mesa firefighters have been consistent partners in the effort to address challenging financial situations facing the city, especially during the economic downturn, and have continued to do so since then.”

Gagne said association members have not received a wage increase since 2008 and noted that in the new deal, they have agreed to contribute more toward their pensions than what is required by state law.

Under the agreement, the city will increase its monthly health insurance contribution for association members from $556 to $2,119. An employee could receive up to $1,060 per month in cash if he or she opts out of health insurance, according to the contract.

The higher contribution “simply brings our firefighters in line with market rates and the ever-increasing medical costs,” Gagne said.

The agreement also includes reduced annual vacation accruals and higher tuition reimbursement for firefighters and stipulates that sick leave and vacation no longer count as hours worked for calculating overtime.

All told, the contract is expected to result in a total cost increase for the city of about $4.95 million.

Mansoor and Righeimer expressed concerns with the increased cost and questioned how the pact could impact the city’s unfunded pension liability, recently pegged at $289 million.

“My concern is simply our fiscal health,” Mansoor said, adding that he thought the council “would be negligent if we didn’t talk about these things and address them.”

Foley, though, repeatedly asked for specific solutions rather than blanket criticisms.

“You don’t have an answer, you don’t have a solution — all you do is complain and whine and blame our hard-working heroes,” she told Mansoor.

Stephens said it’s time to “pay the firefighters what they have earned, what they deserve and what they’ve negotiated.”

He also said the agreement is not expected to increase the city’s unfunded liability.

Mansoor retorted that it “is an increase to our budget — a huge increase.”

Righeimer said he appreciates the work of local firefighters but believes they’re overpaid.

Some department employees, he said, receive total compensation packages exceeding $300,000 a year.

Righeimer said he believes the city could draw a harder line in negotiations to reduce its costs.

“We don’t have to pay this much money for firefighters,” he said. “But cities continually do because people want to get elected and, if the firefighters are supportive of you, it’s a lot easier to get elected.”

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney