By Jesse Dungan
San Jose Mercury News
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — San Carlos can count on firefighters in its joint department with Belmont to cut their pay by 10 percent as the city plots a course for the future of its fire services, according to the president of the firefighter’s union.
Ed Hawkins, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 2400, sent a letter to San Carlos earlier this month saying the union is open to pay cuts. The letter was one item presented to the city council Monday evening as part of a monthly update on fire services.
“Labor costs can also be reduced via discussions with us,” Hawkins wrote in the March 3 letter. “I have privately proposed a 10 percent total compensation reduction to several city council members. We now offer that as another option for consideration.”
The Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department is slated to dissolve in October and the future of San Carlos’ fire services remains uncertain.
Hawkins told The Daily News in an interview Monday afternoon he decided to weigh in because San Carlos is approaching its April 1 deadline for fire services proposals.
Firefighter salaries also came to the forefront Monday when Assistant City Manager Brian Moura presented the council with a report showing Belmont-San Carlos firefighters are second highest-paid out of 13 agencies in the county after Redwood City.
The report, which used 2009 information by the state controller’s office and didn’t include the raises firefighters have received since, shows the average Belmont-San Carlos firefighter made $141,766. The average captain made $163,212, which was third highest in the county, and the department had the highest salary for a chief at $208,341, according to the report.
The report didn’t include the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Vice Mayor Andy Klein said the city has allowed salaries to go “through the roof” and needs to fix a “broken formula.” How the city will accomplish that, however, remains in question.
San Carlos officials are preparing for an April 18 meeting in which they will lay out for the council the city’s options and ask for direction. The three options on the table would involve contracting services to Redwood City, creating a hybrid fire department with Redwood City or developing a standalone department.
Hawkins said in his letter that the 10 percent reduction in compensation could produce $1.3 million in savings for Belmont and San Carlos, or $650,000 for each city. Both cities could each save $600,000 annually if the joint fire department shared management positions with other cities.
Hawkins told The Daily News he wants to see the joint fire department preserved. Although Belmont and San Carlos are heading into mediation, both are continuing to pursue contingency plans.
Hawkins said the union would still work with the city to reduce labor costs if it chooses to form its own fire department, but it’s not an option he favors. He would, however, support the option to contract with Redwood City.
San Carlos opted to pull out of the joint fire department last year when Belmont refused to take a bigger financial stake in the agency. San Carlos Mayor Omar Ahmad has said the city needs to save at least $1 million a year in fire services, and have the ability to keep costs under control moving forward.
Moura said Monday that when Belmont and San Carlos decided to dissolve the joint fire department, they agreed to use up all of its reserves to keep costs lower this year, which would pose an obstacle if they agree to keep it going.
“What that means is if somehow, magically, the (joint fire department) springs back to life ... someone is going to have to pay the real cost of fire,” he said.
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