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Key Points
- The Apopka City Commission advanced changes to firefighters' pension plans per the three-year collective bargaining agreement approved in September.
- Firefighters may retire after 20 years of service regardless of age or at age 45 with 10 years, with pension benefits set at 4%.
- The new agreement increases firefighter base pay by $12,000 in fiscal year 2026-27 and raises paramedic certification pay to $5 per hour.
The Apopka City Commission unanimously advanced changes to the firefighters’ pension plan last week, implementing retirement provisions contained in the new three-year collective bargaining agreement approved in September.
Commissioners approved Ordinance 3182 on first reading during the Nov. 4 city meeting. The ordinance is scheduled to return for second reading and adoption at next Wednesday’s meeting.
The measure changes the normal retirement age and pension benefit accrual for firefighters retiring or entering the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, or DROP, on or after Oct. 1.
Under the changes, firefighters may reach normal retirement after 20 years of credited service regardless of age, or at age 45 with at least 10 years of credited service. The pension benefit will equal 4% of average final compensation for each year of credited service.
Previously, the pension formula provided 3% for each of the first 10 years of service, 3.5% for years 11 through 20 and 4% for each year after 20.
Frank Mega, administrator of the city’s pension plans, told commissioners the ordinance was necessary to update the pension documents to reflect what the city and Apopka Professional Firefighters Association Local 5293 had already agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement approved Sept. 24.
The pension change is one part of a contract that increases firefighter compensation over three years. In fiscal year 2026-27, bargaining-unit employees receive a $12,000 increase in base pay, up to the maximum of their salary range. The agreement sets the firefighter/EMT range at $66,063 to $102,818 and the engineer range at $74,984 to $111,433.
Paramedic certification pay also increased to $5 per hour. In fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29, employees are scheduled to receive 3% across-the-board increases and merit increases of up to 3%.
The agreement identifies the general fund as its funding source, but questions remain about its total first-year cost and where those additional expenses appear in the city’s adopted FY27 budget. The City Commission adopted the FY27 budget Sept. 16, eight days before ratifying the firefighters agreement.
The final budget summary includes about $69.3 million in general fund public safety spending but does not separately identify final Fire Department personnel costs. The budget also lists about $7.75 million in general fund balances and reserves among its funding sources, although the budget documents reviewed by The Apopka Chief do not identify that amount as funding for the new agreement.
Public Information Director Steve Montiero told the Chief that “all funding was factored” but was unable to provide additional details by press time. The city said it would facilitate a sit-down interview with Fire Chief Wil Sanchez next week.
The Chief requested detailed final Fire Department budget records and documents showing where the union agreement was funded in an Oct. 2 public records request. That request remains open.
Commissioner Sam Ruth said the available information did not establish whether the agreement could be absorbed within the adopted budget.
“We need confirmation from city administration and the Finance Department about whether existing appropriations are sufficient, a budget amendment is necessary, or additional funding will be required,” Ruth said in a statement to the Chief.
Apopka’s new firefighter/EMT minimum is now the highest in the area, exceeding the starting firefighter/EMT pay at Seminole County and the starting firefighter pay at Orange County, although pay structures and paramedic incentives vary among departments.
Apopka’s firefighter/EMT minimum of $66,063 exceeds Seminole County’s 2026 firefighter/EMT starting salary of $54,325. Seminole County lists a $67,825 starting salary for a firefighter/paramedic after county certification.
Orange County, which approved a new firefighters agreement in May, lists firefighter starting pay at $59,072, increasing to $62,025 after completion of its 10-week orientation program. Firefighter/paramedic starting pay is $70,959, increasing to $73,909 after orientation.
The Apopka agreement runs through Sept. 30, 2029.