TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association, for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association, for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027.
• Pros: Approving this First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) will provide clarification language that was agreed upon by both the City and the PBA for processing affected employee wages in the Professional Development Program.
• Cons: Staff have not identified a disadvantage of approving the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding).
Option 2: Deny the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association, for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027.
• Pros: Staff have not identified an advantage of denying the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding).
• Con: Failure to approve the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) will continue the ambiguity of the current language for the annual processing of affected employees who are covered by this Collective Bargaining Agreement which expires September 30, 2027.
Background Information
The City of North Port staff and the PBA met on October 30, 2025, and November 4, 2025, to negotiate the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) for the purpose of clarifying language regarding the Professional Development Program. The City was notified on November 5, 2025, that the First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) was ratified by the union membership by a vote of 78 yes and 1 no.
The language that has been modified is as follows:
• Appendix B, Page 4, Paragraph 3 of the Original Agreement is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
A member who wishes to participate in the Professional Development Program should meet with their immediate supervisor. The supervisor will assist the member with the set-up of their Professional Development File and will discuss the levels of Program Incentive, Categories of Achievement, and the member’s plan to achieve the level desired. Each member is responsible for their own Professional Development File.
The member will record activities for credit by completing an Activity Sheet for each activity they complete and have it signed by their immediate supervisor. All activities must be verified and recorded within the evaluation period of October 1st through September 30th. All points recorded during the period of September 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025, shall carry forward to the evaluation period for Fiscal Year 2026. Starting in Fiscal Year 2026, the evaluation period will run from September 1st through August 31st. The only carryover credits to the next plan year are as provided in this section, as otherwise provided in the Professional Development Program, or as may be agreed by the city and the PBA.
Members who have obtained the maximum of 480 hours of advanced incentive course recognized by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) or who hold an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree will receive points each year for these achievements. Members are eligible for these categories regardless of when achieved.
The Professional Development Program is designed to allow the members to work steadily and consistently in the program. The Professional Development Program allows credit for activities completed while employed by the North Port Police Department only, except as specifically noted above regarding recurring credits for previously obtained Florida salary incentive classes while employed as a Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Florida. Certain achievements may qualify under multiple categories, one submission cannot be used for multiple categories in an evaluation
year.
The Professional Development Program Review Committee will provide guidance on whether an activity will count as a credit.
• Appendix B, Page 5, subsection entitled - Program Benefits for Members who are in year one of employment, is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
Members who are in their first year of employment may participate in the Professional Development Program. On October 1st of each plan year, members will receive a prorated increase starting from their certification date (hire date for Telecommunications), based on the level achieved over the previous year. For proration purposes, any portion of a month from the certification date will be counted as a full month.
The First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027, has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct to form.
The First Amendment (First Memorandum of Understanding) to the Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of North Port, Florida, and Florida Police Benevolent Association - A Chapter of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), for the Rank-and-File Police Department Bargaining Unit, Amending Appendix B, for the Period of October 1, 2024, - September 30, 2027,was provided to the City Clerk’s Office on November 20, 2025, for signature, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Good Governance
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Memorandum of Understanding
Prepared by: Christine McDade, Human Resources Director
Department Director: Christine McDade, Human Resources Director