Council OKs hikes to police and fire salaries
The City Council's approval of salary increases for members of the Police and Fire Departments on Monday will require San Bernardino officials to dig into budget reserves to make payroll obligations.
The pay increases were mandated by a City Charter formula. The pay hikes were divided into a trio of agenda items.
The first action increased pay for Police Department commanders. In total, the council's action is expected to cost $128,500 in general fund money. Police Chief Michael Billdt, slated to retire in March, will see his monthly salary increase from $15,770 to $16,975.
The second decision raised pay for high-level Fire Department personnel. The cost expected cost is $66,300 from the general fund. Fire Chief Michael Conrad's monthly pay will increase from $14,982 to $15,675.
The third action hiked pay for the Fire Department employees ranging from new firefighters to captains. The expected cost is $483,400. According to the city's Human Resources Department, there is not enough budgeted money to cover this expense so $226,900 will be pulled from the city's savings to make up the difference. The move will increase the monthly pay of the city's lowest paid firefighters, excluding trainees, from $5,088 to $5,187.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
the Mayor and Council must revise the charter and cease the demands from the SBPD and SBFD with their automatic payraises. the sun has a recent article on money running out for unemployment and than this Governing office is giving out raises from the citys general fund that could be used elsewhere to help other city needs. we need to have a council with GUTS to mtell the SBPD/SBFD NO MAS. i KNOW IF i WERE A COUNCIL MEMBER IT WILL not BE THATB ESAY FOR THEM
I guess you don't realize that almost all fire departments give raises every year for cost of living. Also SBFD charter states that the fire department get paid an average salary for a city this size. So to be fair to the firefighters they are only paid an average, they are in the middle of the pay range for Southern California. How does the city expect to keep well trained talented firefighter is a poor crime ridden city as San Bernardino without at least paying them the average for SoCal? If we don't they go to other cities that will pay them.