Managerial decisions by the City is stretching MBFD too thin.
Analysis by a Retired MB Battalion Chief with 35 years of service
“Public Safety is such a critical issue that imposing a bad contract on our Firefighters/Paramedics is not in the best interests of our community.”
Dear Manhattan Beach Residents,
As a long-time resident and a retired Battalion Chief who served the residents of Manhattan Beach for 35 years, I find it distressing that our Firefighter/Paramedics must reach out to our residents for help with a failed negotiations process with the City of Manhattan Beach.
The City of Manhattan Beach made a “Last, Best, and Final Offer” to the Manhattan Beach Firefighters’ Association on April 10, 2022. This offer is neither fair to our Firefighters/Paramedics, our Residents, the Fire Chief, and our City Government.
Public Safety should be the number one priority of our City Government. Our City deserves the best Police, Fire, and Paramedic services in our area.
The residents have spoken in the past that they do not want the Los Angeles County Fire Department in our City. With the high taxes we all pay living in Manhattan Beach we can afford the cost of top-quality Police, Fire, and Paramedic services in our community.
This negotiation process has brought to light many issues that currently exist in our Fire Department outside of a contract between the City and the Firefighter/Paramedics.
Most of our residents, and apparently most of our City Council Members, do not understand how a modern Fire Department operates. Some of these topics include promotions from within our Fire Department, staffing levels, overtime, salary and benefits, filling employee vacancies, training, fire prevention bureau operations and staffing, and management positions.
These are all complicated topics on which I could write many pages. I believe a lack of understanding of these issues has led to the breakdown in the current negotiation process.
Because of this lack of understanding of how our Fire Department operates the residents are asking many questions and getting quite different answers from the Firefighter/Paramedics, City Staff and Council Members.
Instead of receiving very generic, incomplete, and sometimes misleading information, I believe you should write to our City Council Members and tell them you want to have a Town Hall Meeting or Study Session with City Staff, Council Members, Fire Chief, Firefighter/Paramedics, and the community to present information on the topics aforementioned so we can all have a better understanding of issues at stake.
Public Safety is such a critical issue that imposing a bad contract on our Firefighters/Paramedics is not in the best interests of our community. I believe after there is a better understanding of the issues before us, the City and the Firefighters/Paramedics can reopen negotiations and arrive at a fair and equitable contract that benefits both sides.
Thank you for reading this letter and please act on this very important issue in our community.
Sincerely,
Frank Chiella
Manhattan Beach Resident
Retired Manhattan Beach Battalion Chief with 35 years of service to Manhattan Beach
Current Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Director and Board President
Plan of Action: Mediation is the answer.
Read the statement by City Council [HERE].
Email City Council with your opinion [HERE].
Email City Manager Bruce Moe [HERE].
Mark Your Calendar to make a public comment at the July 19 City Council meeting at 6:00 pm.
Join the City Council via Zoom [HERE].
Or attend in person. See details below.
Connect with the fire department and get a yard sign [HERE].
Email us your letters and comments: MBStrong2021@gmail.com
Information about running for public office in the November 8, 2022 election:
Citizens who desire to serve our city in an elected position can contact the MB City Clerk’s office at mbvote@manhattanbeach.gov for more information.
OR call (310) 802-5056 Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The nomination period is from July 18, 2022, to August 12, 2022.
Information can be found on the MB city website [HERE].
About MBStrong…
We are MB residents bringing common sense, not politics, to the conversation.