Consent Agenda:

TR14439 - A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida, ratifying the Agreement with the Federation of Public Employees, a division of the National Federation of Public and Private Employees affiliated with District 1-MEBA (AFL-CIO); authorizing the appropriate City Officials to execute the Agreement with the Federation of Public Employees, for the period from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.

I recommend the execution of the attached Agreement between the City of Tamarac and the Federation of Public Employees (FPE) hereinafter referred to as the “Union” for the period of October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2029.  Funding for the cost of this Agreement was planned for and appropriated in the approved FY 2027 Budget. 

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the City of Tamarac and the Union expired on September 30, 2026.  The City Manager appointed a negotiating team to renegotiate this Collective Bargaining Agreement including Special Counsel for Labor Robert Soloff, Director of Human Resources Danielle Durgan, Deputy Chief Information Officer Jason Campbell, Human Resources Senior Analyst Whitney Neff, Interim Assistant Director/Public Works Rodney Sims, Senior Management and Budget Analyst Melissa Taylor, and Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Sherry Wilson. Senior Administrative Assistant Judith Henry and Assistant Human Resources Director Nora Carles also assisted the negotiation team.

The Union team included FPE Counsel Alan Eicherbaum, FPE Business Representative Jack Marzialano. The Blue-Collar team included Streets Supervisor Michael Morrison, Mechanic Crewleader Kerrick Wiggins and Grounds Maintenance Supervisor Levertis Byrd.  The White-Collar team included Recreation Programmer II Charlene Nevadomski, Park Ranger Ramlochan “Mikey” Williams and Utility Billing Representative III Tederra Sims. 

Financial and operational issues were discussed with the City Commission in one (1) Executive Session throughout the period of negotiations.

Negotiations with the Union began on April 21, 2026, and continued for a total of five (5) negotiation sessions.  The City’s primary focus in these negotiations was to reach an agreement on a fair and equitable salary increase that would also attract talent for future recruitments.   

In summary, the City and the Union agreed to certain operational changes which will improve the departmental operations and a compensation adjustment that provides a Pay Plan increase in year one (1) of the contract. This resulted in a 5.0% increase with a one-time payout in the amount of $1,500 in year one (1) to employees hired on or before September 30, 2026 in the second City paycheck of October 2026. Beginning August 1, 2027, and again beginning August 1, 2028, the City and Union will meet to negotiate wages.  

The City and Union also agreed to the following amendment to the General Employees’ Pension Plan effective October 1, 2026: 

•    Normal Retirement pension eligibility:
o    30 years of service regardless of age, and
o    Change age 55 and 30 years of service to age 55 and 25 years of service. 

On September 3, 2026, the City and Union representation tentatively agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The CBA was ratified by the members on September 30, 2026. 

The City’s negotiating team believes the attached CBA is a fair and equitable agreement.  Attachment A is a redlined copy of the articles in the CBA proposed to be changed.  Attachment B, to the Resolution, is a final copy of the proposed collective bargaining agreement.  

The proposed changes are described below:

Article 2 – Recognition

Updated Case #s and position titles for the White Collar and Blue Collar bargaining units.

Article 6 – Federation Representation
    
Added language to grant leave for union stewards to engage in collective bargaining and up to one hundred twenty (120) hours of leave per bargaining unit for union stewards to engage in certain union activities as described.

Article 7 – Dues Deduction and Check-Off

Updated the dues deduction process to adhere to Section 446.303 of the Florida Statutes, including a provision to engage in negotiations if the statute is amended or changed. 

Article 8 – Probationary Period

Added language to allow a probation employee an option to submit a letter of resignation in lieu of receiving a probationary termination in their personnel file.

Added language to allow an employee changing employment status (PT to FT or FT to PT) in the same position and division during their initial probationary period to continue their initial probationary period uninterrupted to satisfy the probationary requirements.

Article 11 - Wages

Year 1 (FY26/27): 5% increase and one-time payout of $1,500 (or, at employee’s option, a one-time contribution into the employee’s 457(b) deferred compensation account). Employees who would exceed the pay range maximum by some amount with a 5% increase will receive only a lump sum by such amount of the 5% as is above the pay range maximum.

Beginning August 1, 2027 the City and Union will meet to renegotiate wages for FY 27/28.
Beginning August 1, 2028 the City and Union will meet to renegotiate wages for FY 28/29.

Removed language that increases the minimum and the maximum of the pay ranges in future years.

Article 12 – Paid Time Off

Amended language pertaining to sick leave as an option for pay out at time of DROP entry.

Article 14 – Benefit Options

Updated language to increase benefit options from $2,000 to $2,250 per calendar year.

Article 16 – Bereavement Leave

Added language that bereavement leave must be taken within six (6) months of the passing of the employee’s immediate family member and that the employee must provide proof of death to their supervisor.

Article 18 – Holidays 

Added Patriot Day as an official City holiday.

Article 19 – Work Week, Over-Time and Call-Back

Updated Call-Back language by removing “scheduled or unscheduled”.

Article 21 – Promotions

Updated language to reflect promotional probationary period performance evaluations will be prepared after two (2), four (4) and six (6) months.

Article 23 – Working in Other Classifications

Added language specifying that compensation for employees temporarily working in a higher pay grade in excess of forty (40) consecutive hours begins once the employee starts performing the duties associated with the higher pay grade.

Article 30 – Miscellaneous

Added language to reflect that employees who work in the positions of Fleet Mechanic I, II, and III will receive an annual tool allowance of $750 in October each year.  Newly hired employees in these positions will receive a prorated allowance based on the number of months remaining in the fiscal year.

Approval of a three (3) year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Federation of Public Employees (FPE).