HMB, employees reach a tentative pact
By MATT KAPKO
Half Moon Bay Review
October 13, 2004

After months of stalemated negotiations, the city and Police Officers Association have finally met with a state mediator and resolved the current labor-contract dispute.

It's been 15 weeks since the police officers contract expired with the city of Half Moon Bay. Since that time, they've been working under a contract extension.

The one-year agreement between the city and police officers calls for a raise based on the Consumer Price Index with a set parameter of 2 to 4 percent, according to police Officer Dennis Loubal.

The raise takes effect in April however, leaving police officers with only a three-month raise for the entire fiscal year, he

said. The raise will amount to a quarter to one percent raise for the entire fiscal year, he said.

Come next July, the city will have to return to the negotiating table with the Police Officers Association for another contract.

The city upped its medical insurance contributions retroactively to July 1 and agreed to do a countywide salary survey of other departments to see where Half Moon Bay police officers stand in comparison.

"We'll probably fall slightly behind," Loubal said. "I'm glad it's over. I never like negotiations. They're never fun."

He's hopeful things will improve for police officers in the next round of negotiations. It will be an election year once this contract expires, which may force politicians to address the issue of pay for public safety employees.

For now, "it's a good enough contract," Loubal said.

The previous contract was good from July 2001 through June 2004.

There are four other bargaining groups that have separate agreements with the city. Those groups are comprised of police management, Local 39, city management team members, and unrepresented department heads.

The city is keeping a lid on any progress that's been made on any of the five contracts, opting to wait for their formal adoption.

"The employee contracts will go to the City Council at the next council meeting for ratification," City Manager Debra Ryan said. "I can't give you any information about the details in them at this point."