Costa Mesa’s top fire employees to get pay raises and contribute more toward pensions under new contract

Costa Mesa city leaders signed off Tuesday night on a new contract for high-level fire employees that includes pay raises and a provision for them to increase their contributions toward their retirement.

The City Council voted 3-1 to approve the agreement with the Costa Mesa Fire Management Assn., which covers four employees of the Fire & Rescue Department, including the division chief and three battalion chiefs.

Councilman Allan Mansoor dissented and Councilman Jim Righeimer was absent.

The contract, which runs through June 30, 2022, outlines steady pay increases for association members — 4.5% in 2017 and 18, 4% in 2019, 3% in 2020 and 2% in 2021. It marks the first pay increase for management staff covered by the association since 2008.

Under the new contract, Division Chief Jason Pyle will make $166,428 in 2017. Battalion Chiefs Kevin Diamond, Bill Kershaw and Tim Vasin will make $150,564, according to city data.

But the contract also requires them to put more toward their retirement. Association members currently pay 5% of their salaries toward their pensions. That will increase to 9.5% this year, 14% in 2018 and 17% in 2019.

The pact also establishes a technology allowance of $75 per month, eliminates executive leave and lowers the cap on the amount of vacation that association members can accrue.

Mansoor voted against the contract, citing financial concerns, especially related to the city’s unfunded pension liability.

According to city calculations, the contract will result in a total cost increase of $296,978 over the life of the agreement.

Earlier this year, Mansoor and Righeimer opposed new contracts with the Costa Mesa City Employees Assn. and city executives and division managers over fiscal concerns.

“We are painting ourselves into a corner and taxpayers will be on the hook,” Mansoor said Tuesday. “Our [unfunded pension liabilities] are going up, and it does factually leave less money for other things like sidewalk repairs.”

Mayor Katrina Foley noted that Costa Mesa employees have partnered with the city to help solve pension problems by contributing more to their retirement.

“We can’t continue to retain excellent employees if we don’t properly compensate them in a fair, frugal and functional way,” Foley said. “We have to continue to be competitive with our adjacent neighbors in this marketplace. I think this is a very fair contract.”

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN