The argument that fire fighters should not get pay raises because compared to better educated teachers, fire-fighters are over-paid is absurd. Could it be that it's not that they are overpaid, but that teachers are grossly under paid? We expect firefighters to put their lives on the line to rescue us, but we pay them less than they need to live in the communities they serve.

Marie:

many firefighters could afford to live here, most of them choose not to. Our firefighters are very well paid.

But then again, it does seem like the local government sector does get to operate under a different set of efficiencies than the private sector. 500 job applicants for every job would demand that salary increases be muted, all the more because the supply of non-college educated individuals is numerous.

But the there's the harm's way argument. Well, I do suppose that is an argument that should be equally applied to triple military pay to bring it in line with fire fighter salaries.

If we're having problems with retention, by all means be liberal with your salary increases. If not, why do I have to pay so far beyond the rate at which job supply and demand balance out?

Really ! The Chief makes a good points, what fire service experience does Mr. Bernstein have, to fully understand
both sides of the coin ? It may seem like a huge raise, but when you divide everything by seven, it's not so big
now is it. Mr. Bernstein makes some good points, he just needs a better understanding of how the fire service
functions, like 3 of the other board members.

Who is there in the middle of the night to save your life before you can get to the ER? The MPFPD. I have seen first hand the incredibly important and often life-saving work that they do. They do not need a Ph.D. to do their jobs. Pay them these increases! Bernstein can go pound sand.

water:

by your logic we should pay them whatever they ask. It isn't necessary. There's a reason there are 100 applicants for every open position. Positions that only seem to open due to retirements by the way. It's a well paying job with some risk. The risk isn't as great as they would make it out to be. A year or so ago I researched it. Of the top 30 most dangerous jobs in the country, firefighters didn't even make the list. Police officers did.

That's not my logic at all.

Btw, I don't care about the cops - they're not the subject here. I also didn't say anything about risk. I wrote about their being there in the middle of the night and saving lives.

The Fire Board, of which I am an elected Director, took the extraordinary step in 2008 of adopting a resolution (RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ADOPTING A POLICY REGARDING DISTRIBUTION
OF PROPOSED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS) requiring that BEFORE the Board acts on a tentative labor agreement that agreement must be made available for public comment for at least 15 days.

This sunshine policy is unique amongst local public agencies.

At it July meeting 4 Directors voted to provide the tentative agreement to the public for the public's comments and do do so for 30 days before meeting on Aug 23 to consider the tentative agreement. Only Director Bernstein voted against seeking public input on the tentative agreement.

The purpose of this public comment period is to get the public's input BEFORE the Board considers this tentative agreement.

As an elected official I feel it is my obligation to hear what the public has to say about this tentative agreement BEFORE I decide how to vote - why else seek public input?

However, Director Bernstein has already declared that he will vote against approval of this agreement before getting public input.

I urge interested citizens to go to the Fire District's web site, read the tentative agreement and submit any questions you have to the Clerk of the Board. Answers to those questions will be posted on the District's web site.

Web Link

Web Link

Web Link

I am posting these comments as an individual and not on behalf of the Fire District or the Fire Board.

A reasonable person that has been following this issue will assume Carpenter and the others are competent. It was the endorsement by Carpenter and others that gave Bernstein credibility as a fire board candidate, but now Bernstein wants to challenge this credibility.

Regardless of his other credentials, Bernstein basically opporates a day care, he has never worked as an emergency responder. The chief did oppoint him to oversee CERT, but he has never preciously been CERT certified, or shown any interest in disaster preparedness.

The lack of any challengers in this election cycle is a clear indicated that residents are happy to have a contract, that the current board is able to work together in a collaborative and respectful way, and that campaign drama is not necessary.

water:

they're there in the middle of the night saving lives because that's what we pay them to do. Quite well I might add. If it wasn't a well paying job we wouldn't have so many applicants for every opening. The market indicates they are over paid now (100 applicants for every opening). When there are fewer applicants for openings it will indicate the pay is actually coming into line with the value of the job.

Why did the Fire Chief oppose the addition of a fourth man on the hook and ladder for 7 years before supporting it now?

Why did he prviously say there are 300 qualified applicants for every job. (In LA they are saying they have 3000 such applicants.)

Dr. Bernstein asserts that "The District has released information to the press indicating that “BASE compensation” will increase 18%. However, that figure is misleading insofar as TOTAL compensation, from 2014-15 to 2017-18,
is projected by the District to increase 41% (from $13,620,217 in 2014-15 to $19,194,705 in 2017-18), four times the increase in the cost of living."

Why does The District have to consult with a consultant to verify (or try and disprove) Bernstein's assertion? Especially AFTER the union contract has been tentatively approved. What will happen if Bernstein is correct, as he probably is?

How can the District justify a stipend for living within a 60 mile radius of Menlo Park. I remember when the talk was about a 20 mile radius. How many firefighters already live within that radius and will get a raise for doing it? The union won big time on that.

There are many other problems with this contract including pension issues. To criticize a contract should not be confused with denegrating firefighters or the work they do.

Bernstein's current path could lead to further lawsuits, costing the district another million in legal fees and fines. We'd prefer to see that million go into refurbishing and replacing antiquated equipment.

competent sounds like a MPFPD firefighter.

Sorry no, and I have no government pension. Like many others in town, I trust that Carpenter has this under control.

If I'm following Director Bernstein's thought process correctly - the Communites of Prescott Arizona who lost 19 members of a wildland fire crew in on burn over, or the Communites of China where 12 firefighters lost their lives in one big boom within the last 24 hours, have nothing to worry about because there are plenty more applicants to immediately replace them. Mr Bernsteien use your education/instructor skill set and visit ground zero in New York and learn about the "343". Then when your in Sacramento lobbying for education dollars, research the California Firefighters Memorial - pay attention to the cancer and cardiac deaths while your their with you superior intellectual abilities. One more must see on your bucket list is the National Firefighter Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland - even more line of duty Cancer and Cardiac deaths their. Your Menlo Park Firefighters deserve your respect and industry standard compensation. Because "all lives matter" including those who stand ready to serve your fire suppression/advanced life support/technical rescue/hazmat abatement needs. The community expects our public agency policy makers, to utilize their highler education and critical thinking skills to better our protection, in our communities. Maintaining an workforce of experienced, confident, well trained responders is a must. Our Firefighters must be compensated with industry standard wages, medical and retirement benefits. Be fair because our "firefighters lives matter".

alllives:

if it was truly "industry standard" compensation there wouldn't be 100 applicants for every opening. It's a sweet compensation package especially when the retirement portion is considered and the fact that the schedule is 10 work days a month, leaving plenty of time for second jobs or side businesses which almost all of them have. Do you have any information as to whether or not firefighters suffer cancer and heart disease at greater rates than the general population? Also, there are far more dangerous occupations that earn far less compensation.

top ten most dangerous jobs: Web Link

Check out their compensation.

Sounds like Chuck "Sabotage" Bernstein is at it again!! Web Link

Those New York City firefighters you're referring to - who pretty much everyone would admit have much more dangerous jobs than our suburban firefighters - according to the New York City website make way, way less than ours do.
Web Link

And most east coast firefighters, especially those outside urban areas, are volunteers. They make no salary at all.

Lets get volunteers. You'd feel good with that when they show up hungover when your granddaughter's life is on the line.

And you get your first insurance bill.

Chuck Bernstein has valid credentials to question a financial arrangement. He earned a Stanford MBA. He worked on public financials (including Menlo Park). He served on the Menlo Park Budget Advisory Committee. He raises legitimate questions.
You don't have to be a fire responder to understand finance related to pay and benefits. In fact, if you understand finance, you probably are not a fire person.

Bernstein writes, "the proposed contract is... excessively costly, and it provides nothing of significant benefit to residents," and "the board of directors failed to properly supervise the negotiations..."

This reads like an indictment. Bernstein will never get his way by accusing his fellow board members of malfeasance.

MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS' POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

"5.8 Board Members Conduct and Responsibilities
Conduct
The Fire District Board Members shall observe the following code of conduct designed to guide their actions in carrying out their responsibilities. A Fire District Board Member should strive to: Understand that his/her basic function is "policy" and not "administration";
1. Refuse to make commitments on any matter which should come before the Board as a whole;"

The comment Carpenter makes above, quoting a procedures manual, is stupid and ridiculous. This reads like an attempt to muzzle those who would disagree, and in this case, essentially the contract has been already presented to the board and only a "rubber stamp" is expected.

Good for Dr. Bernstein, willing to put real transparency into what has taken place, as the only board member apparently willing to calculate the real cost, and not take staff's word for its accuracy.

This is public money and should be protected.

At it July 7th meeting the Fire Board Directors voted 4-1 to provide the tentative agreement to the public for the public's comments and do do so for 30 days before meeting on Aug 23 to consider the tentative agreement.

The purpose of this public comment period is to get the public's input BEFORE the Board considers this tentative agreement.

I urge interested citizens to go to the Fire District's web site, read the tentative agreement and submit any questions you have to the Clerk of the Board. Answers to those questions will be posted on the District's web site.

Here are the questions and answers regarding the tentative agreement:

Web Link

Here is the latest update of the Questions and Answers:

Web Link

Peter, would this be a fair statement?

"It is interesting to note that the Fire Board meeting is schedule at exactly the same time as the City Council meeting - another nice way to exclude input on the labor contract from all those who will be attending the City Council meeting".

Anyone who wants to comment can send their comments to the Clerk of the Board and those comments will be distributed at the meeting.

mradcliffe@MenloFire.org

And the Fire Board's discussion of the Tentative Contract was scheduled well before the ECR Study Session by the City Council was even agendized.