By Nelsey Rodriguez
The Press Enterprise
MURRIETA, Calif. — Murrieta’s firefighters will pay the full employer contribution to their retirement funds saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
The City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 2, approved an amendment to the existing contracts for the Firefigthers Association and the Fire Management Association to transfer the city’s 9 percent contribution toward their pension onto the firefighters and fire managers. Council members voted unanimously, 5-0, to approve the amendment affecting the California Public Employees Retirement System.
The transfer will eliminate the city’s contribution effective Oct. 7. It is expected to save the fire district budget nearly $315,000 in this fiscal year and almost $340,000 in the 2013-14 fiscal year. The amendment also will extend the two contracts an additional four years through June 2018.
In exchange for the fire contribution, the city is agreeing to nearly triple the department’s personal allowance for uniform maintenance. Firefighters currently receive $650 per year for the required maintenance and will now receive $1,850 per year.
Councilman Alan Long said in an interview before the meeting that the firefighters and managers are exhibiting a spirit that has emerged among City Hall employees in recent years as the city’s financial status has continued to burden services.
“It’s absolutely above and beyond and it’s apart of the team effort from all departments,” Long said. “Here in Murrieta the entire city really gets it. It’s a team effort and everyone is trying to stretch themselves to keep services in place.”
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