New contract would give Costa Mesa’s fire chiefs raises but they’d pay more toward retirement

With virtually no discussion, the Costa Mesa City Council moved forward this week with a proposed new contract for high-level fire employees that would provide pay raises while requiring them to contribute more toward their retirement.

On a 3-2 vote Tuesday, with members Allan Mansoor and Jim Righeimer opposed, the council advanced the tentative agreement with the Costa Mesa Fire Management Assn. to a second public hearing Aug. 1.

Council members will decide on that date whether to officially approve the pact.

Only four employees of the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Department — the division chief and the three battalion chiefs — are covered under the proposed agreement.

The contract would run through June 30, 2022. It outlines steady pay increases for association members — 4.5% in 2017 and 2018, 4% in 2019, 3% in 2020 and 2% in 2021 — but also would require them to put more toward their retirement.

Association members currently pay 5% of their salaries toward their retirement. Under the proposed contract, that contribution would increase to 9.5% this year, 14% in 2018 and 17% in 2019.

The contract also would eliminate executive leave, establish a technology allowance of $75 per month and lower the cap on the amount of vacation that association members can accrue.

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

Mansoor and Righeimer didn’t comment on their dissenting votes Tuesday, but they also opposed new contracts with the Costa Mesa City Employees Assn. and city executives and division managers that went before the council earlier this year, citing financial concerns.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney