West Sacramento firefighter and former West Sacramento Firefighter Association President Capt. Greg Fonts thanks the City Council for its unanimous vote to adopt a three-year contract with the association, making local firefighters among the best compensated in the region. Behind Fonts is current West Sacramento Firefighter Association President Capt. Miguel Altamirano and to the right is West Sacramento Firefighter Association Treasurer, firefighter Aneel Khan. Photo by John McCallum

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – West Sacramento firefighters have now joined their fellow police department employees as some of the best compensated public safety employees in the region.

At its June 18 meeting, the West Sacramento City Council unanimously adopted a “total tentative agreement on terms for a three-year successor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)” between the city and the West Sacramento Firefighters Association that increased members’ salary and benefits significantly.

The agreement, which a staff budget analysis indicated would cost the city an estimated $3.7 million annually, provides firefighters with several pay increases and incentives, beginning with a 6% general salary increase in 2025 and 4% general salary increases in 2026 and 2027.

Former West Sacramento Firefighters Association President and current Vice-President of Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 Capt. Greg Fonts told City Council that the new contract makes the city’s department a place firefighters in the region want to come to and serve.

Fonts told a story about contract negotiations with City Manager Aaron Laurel. At one meeting, Fonts said that Laurel asked him what “in labor’s view” would make the department better and Fonts said he replied with the standard answer of average pay and benefits.

“And you stopped me at that meeting and said, ‘What do I need to do to make this a destination department?’” Fonts said to Laurel. “I would like to congratulate you because as of tonight, West Sacramento is a destination department.”

Besides the general salary increase, the contract implements an eight-step salary schedule for employees hired after Jan. 1 and kicks in on July 1. The agreement provides equity salary increases of 3% in 2025 and 0.5% in 2027 while providing several percentage increases for firefighters who pursue professional certifications such as Confined Space Tech/Operations, Trench Rescue and Fire Investigator I.

There are also pay increases for firefighters who seek additional education such as a bachelor’s degree as well as longevity incentives after 10, 15 and 20 years of service, maxing out at 7.5% total, along with an up to $1,000 career enhancement and wellness benefit reimbursement.

The contract increases the city’s contribution amounts toward the department’s medical, dental and vision plan, with the employee purchasing dental, vision and, if applicable, life insurance at the employee-only level at a minimum. In 2026, those not-to-exceed contributions are $1,234 per month for the employee only, $2,018 for the employee plus one and $2,601 for the employee plus two or more.

In 2027, those increase to $1,296, $2,119 and $2,731 per month respectively and in 2028, $1,361, $2,225 and $2,868 per month.

West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero pointed out these benefits and other “little things” in the agreement such as provisions covering weight training, cancer screenings and wellness checks as elements contributing to a better quality of work and life for fire department personnel, given the nature of their work.

“You are our firefighters; you do make those sacrifices,” Guerrero said. “You know that those you go out and take care of are like your mother, your father. They’re one of you.”

West Sacramento Firefighters Association President and 20-year veteran of the West Sacramento department Capt. Miguel Altamirano praised the work of the council and city staff in their negotiations with the association on the agreement, which received a 100% “yes” vote from the members. He pointed out the agreement was possible by passage of Measure O in November, which implemented a one-cent sales tax for the purpose of addressing public safety and infrastructure needs.

Revenue from Measure O helped the city fund a new contract in April with the police department that provided for hiring 13 new officers over the next several years while also making its salary and benefits package one of the best in the region.

“We’ve got to thank the citizens of West Sacramento for trusting us to give us that extra one-cent sales tax and support for the fire department and infrastructure of the city,” Altamirano said. “To say the police department and fire department has the highest paid workforce out of all the cities in the region is amazing. That was unthinkable years ago.”

The total cost for the first year of the contract is estimated at $2,614,558. That will be covered by $76,716 from tax Measure K, $252,669 from the $5.25-million federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant and $2,285,174 from the city’s General Fund.

Because of budgeting capacity and constraints, the General Fund outlay for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is a one-time appropriation, with future costs covered by transfers from Measure O fund or the General Fund, if capacity is available.

The West Sacramento Firefighters Association secured the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant last September. It helped fund the purchase of two fire engines, one of which enabled the return of Engine 45 to service.