Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - The city’s rank-and-file officers have a new contract after months and months of bitter negotiations that saw seven tenured officers leave in as many months. The Glendora Police Officer’s Association will have a new two-year contract retroactive to the end of the prior GPOA contract, from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019. Glendora Mayor Mendel Thompson and council members Karen Davis, Gary Boyer and Michael Allawos voted in favor of the new contract, while Mayor Pro Tem Judy Nelson voted against. Rank and file officers will receive a base salary increase of 4 percent retroactive to the full first payroll on or after July 1, 2017, according to a summary of the new contract. Effective the full first payroll period on or after July 1, 2018, officers will receive a base salary increase of 4 percent. All GPOA members on city payroll as of the date of the Memorandum of Understanding will receive increases to other areas of compensation, longevity pay and health, dental and vision insurance. A GPOA representative notified the City on May 17 that officers accepted the negotiated offer. ,“While it is not exactly what we were hoping for, it is a step in the right direction moving us from second to last up to 10th of 13 in total compensation compared to area agencies,” according to the GPOA in a written statement.
The GPOA had choice words to express their dismay in Mayor Pro Tem Nelson’s decision to vote against the two-year contract. “We are extremely disappointed in Mayor Pro Tem Nelson for her shortsightedness and disregard for public safety in her attempt to vote down this contract. We cannot begin to grasp Mayor Pro Tem Nelson’s inability to recognize the decades of valuable experience lost and the immense associated financial cost of their departure,” the GPOA said. Nelson explained why she voted against the new contract at the June 26 City Council meeting. “This new contract took eight months to negotiate because there were so many difficult, complicated parts to it. Most of it was related to the city finances,” Nelson said. The city, according to Nelson, is operating in a deficit and anticipates a projected $7.5 million deficit. Rising pension costs and storm water permits mandated by Sacramento will further burden the city’s finances. “I would have supported a more modest [wage increase] of a 6 percent raise over three years,” Nelson said. Just one day before the Memorandum of Understanding was approved, seven-year veteran of the department, Officer Craig Voors, left for better pay and benefits with the Irvine Police Department, joining fellow Glendora transplants Eric Weber, Adam Pettinger and Shawn Dinkle. Al Ancheta, only the second K9 officer in the department's history, left for the El Monte Police Department after more than 15 years with Glendora. “There is still a long road ahead with staffing shortages and damage that will be very difficult to repair,” the GPOA said. “We would like to thank everyone in the community for their unwavering support and we look forward to continuing our efforts to keep Glendora safe.” The next round of negotiations is slated to begin in less than one year. |
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