After several months of intense negotiations the MBPOA and the City of Manhattan Beach reached an agreement on a new contract for salary and benefits over the next five years. The process began last November (2005) with an membership interest survey in an effort to identify the principal desires of our members. The results of this survey helped the negotiations team develop an approach to negotiations as well as provided a measure of progress as various items were achieved. The term of the contract was the longest one ever entered into by the association and the city. The length of term was a serious issue and one which required feedback in the form of a general membership meeting mid-way through negotiations. The negotiations team came back with the understanding that if the major goals could be reached then a longer term contract would be acceptable. Another part of our preparations was the completion of a very extensive comparison chart of the ten cities which our agency uses for purposes of negotiations and salary adjustments. This chart was the result of many hours of work by one of our most stalwart negotiators, Sgt. Bill Matson, and will be uploaded to the PORAC website so that other teams can use it as a model. Our initial proposal was rather lengthy and all encompassing, totaling about 6 pages and 30 items. Our team consisted of six association members, ranging from 28 years to 4 years of service, including two sergeants (MBPOA is officers and sergeants), patrol and detectives. At the conclusion we were able to achieve a 5% pay raise for officers the first year of the contract, which brings them to the average of the top three comparison cities salary and a 6% raise for sergeants the first year. The following four years pay raises for both sergeants and officers are determined by a salary survey of the top three paid cities on our list and then adjustments are made accordingly with the following caps, 4%, 4.5%, 4.25%, 5%. In year three of the contract, the city will begin reporting the employer-paid member contribution to CalPERS as compensation earnable. Our current retiree medical benefit of $300 a month will increase to $400 a month in year two. Our current court time pay of two hours was increased to three hours for morning appearances. Significantly, the city's health insurance contribution was tied to 100% of the PORAC plan. Considering likely rate increases, this benefit was key in agreeing to a long term contract. Other achievements included; $100 month for bilingual pay (Spanish only); 3% CSI pay, $180 per month Firearms Instructor pay, $180 per month Force Instructor pay, 100% use of sick leave accrued towards retirement, 10% motorcycle pay (up from 7.5%), allow laterals to achieve the medical retirement benefit easier, cash out of holiday time at end of fiscal year (up to 100%), and language and policy clean-up issues. The MBPOA negotiations team consisted of myself, Sgt. Bill Matson, Det. Ryan Small, Det. Sgt. Steve Tobias, Officer Rich Hatten, and Officer Joe Aiello. We were in constant communication via email, telephone and face to face meetings with our Association attorney, Elizabeth Silver Tourgeman, of Silver, Hadden, and Silver LLP.