REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Side Letter Agreement Between the City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association (PSOA) Amending the PSOA Memorandum of Understanding to add Special Assignment Pay for Positions Assigned to the Newly Created Community Crime Reduction Team (CCRT)
Report
BACKGROUND
The Fiscal Year 2026/27 budget added four additional Public Safety Officer positions to establish a new Community Crime Reduction Team (CCRT). After reviewing the CCRT’s duties, the City determined that special assignment premium pay was warranted for officers assigned to the CCRT. This report presents a Side Letter Agreement between the City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers’ Association (PSOA) adding special assignment premium pay for members of the CCRT.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.1 Legislative Management - Goals and Policies, Goal 7.3D: Maintain a quality work force, consistent with state and federal laws, City Charter, and adopted policies in order to assure that City services are provided in an effective, efficient, and high-quality manner.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
The PSOA represents Public Safety Officers-In-Training, Public Safety Officer 1, Public Safety Officer 2, and Public Safety Lieutenants. Employees in these classifications perform a variety of sworn law enforcement and firefighting duties in support of the Department of Public Safety.
The CCRT will include four Public Safety Officer positions and an existing Public Safety Lieutenant, who will lead this newly formed team. As part of developing the team, the Department of Public Safety recommended that staff members selected and assigned to the CCRT receive premium pay equal to five percent of base pay, similar to other special assignments listed in section 26.1 of the PSOA MOU. Existing special assignments that receive premium pay include Field Training Officers, Detectives, Neighborhood Resource Officers, Office of Emergency Services Lieutenant, and others.
Human Resources staff reviewed the duties proposed to be performed by the team, reviewed California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) requirements for specialty pay and met and conferred with PSOA regarding specialty pay for the CCRT. Based upon the assignment, staff recommend that Council authorize the attached side letter approving adding CCRT to the list of special assignments receiving a 5% premium pay pursuant to section 26.1 of the MOU and as outlined in the attached Side Letter Agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
The additional special assignment pay for the four new Public Safety Officer II positions assigned to CCRT is estimated at $67,914 for FY 2026/27 and approximately $1,952,466 over the 20-year plan. The Department of Public Safety is primarily funded by the General Fund. The additional cost will be absorbed within the FY 2026/27 operating budget and incorporated into the 20-year Resource Allocation Plan during the next budget cycle.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve a Side Letter Agreement between the City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association (PSOA) amending the PSOA Memorandum of Understanding to add Special Assignment Pay for Positions assigned to the newly created Community Crime Reduction Team (CCRT).
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
_X_ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
___ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle Ahlberg, Human Resources Manager
Reviewed by: Heather Ruiz, Director, Human Resources
Reviewed by: Matthew Paulin, Director, Finance
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Side Letter Agreement