TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Approval of Tuition Reimbursement Agreement Templates for Police Officers, Firefighter/EMT’s, and/or Paramedics who were hired in Fiscal Year 2016-17 and Fire Rescue District and Police Recruit Agreement. Approve recommended changes to Recruit contract for police and fire rescue to be utilized for hiring personnel while they are in school with the intention of increasing paramedic and police recruitment. Authorize the City Manager to sign future requests using the approved agreement template(s).
Recommended Action
Commission approval of Tuition Reimbursement Agreement templates for police officers, firefighter/EMT’s, and/or paramedics who were hired in fiscal year 2016-17 and completed State Certification for employment (criminal justice academy for police, or fire academy, and/or EMT school, and/or paramedic school for fire rescue) within one year prior to their hire date. Approve recommended changes to Recruit contract for police and fire rescue to be utilized for hiring personnel while they are in school with the intention of increasing paramedic and police recruitment. Authorize the City Manager to sign future requests using the approved agreement template(s).
Background Information
During the May 4, 2017, City Commission Special Meeting, the Commission directed staff to bring back an agreement for consideration related to the reimbursement of criminal justice academy tuition for City Police and Fire Rescue District employees hired from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017 (Fiscal Year 2017) who successfully completed the State of Florida Criminal Justice Academy, Fire, EMT, and/or Paramedic school within the previous twelve (12) months. The attached reimbursement agreements were drafted for Commission consideration as they relate to reimbursement of academy costs for state certification required for employment with police, or fire rescue personnel that were hired in FY 2017. The third agreement was drafted for Commission consideration as it relates to the “Recruit” contract for fire rescue, to be utilized for hiring personnel while they are in school with the intention of increasing paramedic recruitment. This agreement was previously approved by Commission with recommended changes and non-substantive language changes to parallel the police department agreement.
If approved, the FY 2017 reimbursement contracts for police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics meeting the established criteria, would be eligible for academy tuition reimbursement subsequent to a thirty-six (36) month continuous employment agreement. The thirty-six (36) month agreement begins on the employee’s hire date and includes the officer’s one-year probation period. This would assist the City Police and Fire Rescue District in their retention initiatives.
In addition, the agreement for recruits will provide tuition reimbursement for Fire Rescue District and Police employees for formal criminal justice and/or firefighter or paramedic training through a certified state training center and certification by the State of Florida as a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic that is completed during the Employee’s one-year probationary period. Reimbursement will require the continued employment of the recruit for thirty-six (36) months after the date of completion of the criminal justice, firefighter, or paramedic training.
This Agreement has been approved by the City Attorney for legal correctness as to content and form.
Strategic Plan
N/A
Financial Impact
For Fire Rescue, the FY 2017 reimbursements are not budgeted; but the liability can be absorbed in the current budget due to savings from vacant positions. The Department estimates that three (3) employees would be eligible for the reimbursement. The Recruit expenditures are budgeted in the commission approved FY 2018 budget.
The proposed FY 2017 agreement regarding tuition reimbursement for current police officers was not budgeted in FY 2018; however, the Department estimates two (2) employees would be eligible for such tuition reimbursement based on the criteria set forth in the attached agreements.
Procurement
N/A
Attachments:
1. Tuition Reimbursement Agreement Current Police Officers FY 17
2. Tuition Reimbursement for Recruit Police Officers
3. Fire Rescue Reimbursement for Employee FY ‘17
4. Recruit General Contract for Reimbursement- Fire
Prepared by: Jennifer Ayres
Department Director: Kevin Vespia