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Victorville's fire contract up for vote: Agreement with local union also up for vote Tuesday(Daily Press (Victorville, CA) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 15--VICTORVILLE -- As the Victorville City Council prepares to vote on its contract for fire services with San Bernardino County, cost comparisons have shifted yet again. According to figures presented in the contract, it will cost the city nearly $100,000 a year more to get its fire services from the county, rather than saving $38,000 a year as city staff stated before the council's vote last month. This savings was already disputed by several city officials, who claimed it was inflated with more than $1 million in unrealistic raises and retirement benefits. Councilman Rudy Cabriales said he believes this latest price increase came as the county added crash-rescue crews at Southern California Logistics Airport to their proposal. Victorville paid $7.8 million for fire services this year through its local department, according to the city budget. To use county fire services, which includes replacing one firefighter on each engine with a paramedic, the city will now pay $11.4 million a year. This is without figuring in the nearly $500,000 in one-time start-up costs or the still undisclosed amount it will cost the city to cash out vacation and sick pay. If approved, the contract will take effect on July 5 and continue for the next 10 years. The council is also scheduled to vote on its memorandum of understanding with the Victorville Professional Firefighters union Tuesday night. The document, which is not yet available to the public, states how much accrued sick and vacation pay the city will honor. Cabriales said the council was able to agree to most requests the union made. In spite of his opposition to the council's decision to contract with the county, Cabriales said there will be no more discussion about the issue. "In our system of government, majority rules, and now we just have to get onboard and respect the vote." Both documents are scheduled for action during the council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall at 14343 Civic Drive. To see more of the Daily Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.vvdailypress.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Daily Press, Victorville, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |