HUNTINGTON BEACH : Police to Vote on New Salary Package

The city’s police officers, who have been working without a contract since last October, will vote next week on a new proposal calling for a moderate pay raise, their union president said Friday.

Officials have offered a one-year package that would give officers a 6% salary increase retroactive to Oct. 1 and an additional 2% beginning Monday.

The 222 members of the Huntington Beach Police Officers Assn. are scheduled to meet Wednesday to consider the proposal. Although the union had been seeking a one-year pact with a 10% pay increase, association President Monty Mauney said he is hopeful that the latest offer will be acceptable to the members.

Until recently, the city had been offering a three-year package that would provide a 4% pay raise the first year and an 8% hike in each of the next two years. Scores of police officers packed a City Council meeting last month to denounce that proposal and reiterate their demands for a one-year pact with a 10% pay hike.

The city has contended that it could not meet that demand in light of its $3.9-million budget deficit, which prompted the council this week to raise user fees and dip into city reserves.

Although accord appears imminent, “I don’t think either side is totally satisfied,” said William Osness, the city’s personnel director.

If a pay package is reached with the Police Officers Assn., a similar increase would be extended to 15 captains and lieutenants represented by the Huntington Beach Police Management Assn., Osness said.

Yearly salaries for patrol officers are roughly $33,000 to $39,000 a year. Lieutenants earn between $52,212 and $64,692 a year, while captains make anywhere from $61,296 to $75,924.

Under a proposed settlement, which council members will consider Monday, captains and lieutenants will be allowed to accumulate sick-leave pay each year, rather than receiving a fixed, 60-day block of illness-related compensation, as now provided to all sworn police officers. That change would not apply to Police Officer Assn. members.