The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) board has approved a new contract for its firefighters, which will increase their pay by nearly 25% over the next five years. This decision, made after the board's two-month recess, will result in higher costs for OCFA's member cities, including Irvine, as noted in staff reports.
The contract, an extensive document spanning over 200 pages, details raises, employee benefits, and other provisions. All union members are set to receive a 4.5% raise annually for five years, accumulating to a 24.6% increase when compounded. This pay raise is projected to cost approximately $313 million over the five-year period, with the funding sourced from the Authority's 23 member cities.
OCFA staff reports indicate that these salary cost increases will directly translate into higher charges for cities that contract with the fire authority. A June report projected that contract cities could see their bills rise by nearly 25% over the next five years to offset these new pay increases. Some cities, however, fund the OCFA through property taxes via the structural fire fund and may experience different financial impacts.
Beyond salary, the new agreement also fully funds bereavement leave for up to 20 days and commits to funding retirement plans at 99%. Pregnancy and parenthood leave will be paid for the first 24 hours, with the remainder of the period being unpaid.
Concerns about the financial implications have been raised by some city officials, who anticipate significant pressure on already strained municipal general funds. Stanton City Manager Hannah Shin-Heydorn stated that the rising costs will need careful management within the city's general fund. Shin-Heydorn noted that while reserves offer financial stability, the city's goal is to maintain structurally balanced ongoing operations rather than relying on reserves to fund recurring increases.
During the approval process, some board members expressed reservations. Mark Tettemer, who also serves on the Lake Forest City Council, voted against the contract, citing discomfort with its five-year term and concerns that the OCFA's budget does not fully reflect the organization's capital demands. Robert Frackelton, a Villa Park City Councilman, abstained from the vote, stating he had too little time to review the 200-page document provided less than a week before the vote. His motion to delay the vote until the November meeting did not pass. Frackelton acknowledged that all Orange County cities would benefit from improved firefighter recruitment and retention but suspected contract cities would shoulder increasing costs.
Chris Hamm, President of the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, urged board members to ratify the contract, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing personnel while fully funding retiree healthcare and retirement. OCFA Deputy Chief Robert Cortez explained that the board had previously approved the economic framework in June, with the September 24 vote focused on finalizing the language. Cortez stated that the proposed agreement provides “long-term labor stability” and establishes defined processes for future joint actions.
Campaign finance disclosures reveal that many board members who voted in favor of the new contract received campaign funding from the firefighters' union. Buena Park Mayor and OCFA board member Connor Traut, who received over $380,000 in union support for his county supervisor campaign, stated that public safety is a necessity and that Buena Park's new sales tax measure would help cover increased costs. Irvine Councilwoman Betty Martinez-Franco was among several city council members on the board who received direct, maxed-out donations from the union and voted in favor of the contract. The union also made substantial donations to both the Democratic and Republican parties of Orange County.
The contract is set to commence on March 19, 2027, and will remain in effect until March 11, 2032, locking in the new compensation structure and associated costs for the Authority's member cities for the specified period.
