Contract negotiations between officers in the Half Moon Bay Police Department and the city are nearing the final stages, and if things continue as they are it may result in a deadlock.
According to Police Officer Dennis Loubal, the city has offered nothing substantial in the series of negotiation meetings they've held, and it doesn't look like things will improve.
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The city's contract for police services expired June 30, and has been extended to Aug. 31, but because the negotiations are still underway and regularly discussed in closed session at City Council meetings, city officials won't discuss their position.
And that's exactly what police are most disappointed about, Loubal said. The city hasn't offered any explanation for their strict pursuit of no pay increase, he said.
If it did, police could at least better understand the city's position, and maybe even agree to it, Loubal added.
But when he and his fellow officers see a pay increase included in this year's budget, and the city in turn offers no raise in pay without explanation, police become discouraged.
"We're not getting the why. We're getting the 'no you can't have that,' but no explanation why. What we got was nothing. It's disheartening," Loubal said.
City Manager Debra Ryan wouldn't respond to Loubal's statements because the negotiations are confidential and still ongoing, she said. The City Council asked her to contract with a third-party negotiator and is being kept informed of the negotiations as things arise, Ryan said.
Although neither Ryan nor councilmembers would discuss their position on the contract, it seems likely that the City Council has delegated its wishes through the negotiator.
Ryan said the budget makes no promises to increase police officers' pay - it's merely conservative budgeting, she explained.
Loubal said the police officers' association first requested negotiations to begin back in December 2003. The first meeting was held in May, he said, adding it's not uncommon to go past the deadline.
According to Loubal, the only offer on the table for police at this point is a $50 increased contribution in medical care costs, which Loubal anticipates to only cover a fraction of increased health care costs.
Police didn't come to the negotiating table with any specific numbers, Loubal said, but in return police were offered zero.
"If the number's too high, let's work on the number," he said, adding that a 3-to-5 percent pay increase would put the department on par with the rest of the county.
"They're not keeping up. Maybe they're just used to us being underpaid and they're content with that," Loubal said.
He hopes to get a better explanation from the city on its position.
After all, the city manager was given a 16 percent pay increase over the previous city manager when she was promoted up from finance director, Loubal said and city documents confirm that.
However, Ryan was already being paid more than the previous city manager, so her raise was actually 9.7 percent over her previous position. She's currently paid $12,500 a month.
"Shouldn't we then look at all of our positions in the same light?" Loubal asked rhetorically.
The only other raise shown in the city's salary schedule was for Police Chief Ike Ortiz. He received a 4.5 percent pay increase, bringing his pay to $10,921 a month.
Police have requested an impasse procedure as a final attempt to resolve the contract dispute before a state mediator steps in.
"If the city still holds it's position, we're left with only a few options and none of them are great," Loubal said.
Mayor Mike Ferreira was noticeably irritated that police are discussing the ongoing contract negotiations with the Review.
"In a lot of ways it's a no-win process," he said. "It's a situation in which it's easy for people to get emotional. There's got to be a better way."
Speaking to that, Loubal said he's concerned a communication breakdown has occurred between police and city.
"We don't have any communication with the City Council and that could be a problem," he said.
Police officers are currently paid between $5,211 and $6,332 a month - 10 percent going toward a pension plan - depending on their length of employment.
There are currently 10 officers in the department and one in training. Loubal has been an officer in Half Moon Bay for almost eight years.
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