Fire chief-of-staff urges council to treat reclassification and retention as unified public‑safety budget item

Jose Magan, who identified himself as the fire department's chief‑of‑staff, urged the council during public comment to consider the department's reclassification and retention proposals together as part of the operating budget rather than as isolated raises. "The reclassification of that program and the retention component are created to address different aspects of the same operational issue," Magan said, arguing the package "offers employees a clear, predictable path to advancement."

Magan said the city risks losing experience and institutional knowledge when trained personnel depart: "When trained personnel leave, the city does not just lose the position, it loses experience, institutional knowledge, and a part of that investment." He asked council to evaluate the fire department request under the same standard it used for solid‑waste service levels and to weigh the operational consequences of removing reclassification and step adjustments from the budget.

Council members discussed the cost and timing of the proposed step and reclass package later in the meeting. Staff and council cited a 9‑month implementation option that would reduce the annualed cost; staff gave a 9‑month figure of about $209,000 as the compromise implementation amount. Fire leadership said reclassifications (for drivers and a training/division chief) plus a step adjustment would create compression relief and separation between positions; councilmembers asked for specifics on how the change would roll out and how it would interact with prior police step adjustments.