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Key Points
- The Apopka City Commission ratified a three-year firefighter contract Thursday with raises, pension changes, and new pay incentives through Sept. 30, 2029.
- Firefighters will receive a $12,000 base pay increase in year one and 3% raises plus merit increases in fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29.
- The agreement increases pension accrual to 4% per year and adds certification pay for paramedics and bonuses for certain firefighter roles.
The Apopka City Commission unanimously ratified a new three-year contract with the city’s firefighters union Thursday, approving raises, pension changes and new pay incentives through Sept. 30, 2029.
The vote drew applause from firefighters and others gathered in the commission chambers after several residents urged commissioners to approve the agreement. The contract covers fiscal years 2026-27 through 2028-29 and had already been ratified by members of Apopka Professional Firefighters Association Local 5293.
Under the agreement, bargaining-unit employees will receive a $12,000 increase to base pay in the first year, up to the maximum of their pay range. Employees will receive 3% across-the-board raises in fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29, along with merit increases of up to 3%. The new salary ranges include $66,063 to $102,818 for firefighter/EMTs and $74,984 to $111,433 for engineers.
The agreement also increases the pension benefit accrual rate to 4% of average monthly earnings for each year of credited service. Other provisions include $5 per hour in certification pay for paramedics, additional compensation for field training officers, fire inspectors, instructors and Special Hazards Operations Team members, and a 10% increase for rank-to-rank promotions within the bargaining units.
The commission’s vote finalized a tentative agreement the city and Local 5293 reached Sept. 17 after negotiations at the Leroy F. Gilliam Training Center.
The agreement had already been ratified by members of the union’s bargaining units in voting conducted Sept. 17-19 before coming to the commission for final approval.
Fire Chief Wil Sanchez presented the agreement before the City Commission voted, telling commissioners it reflected a collaborative effort between the city and Local 5293.
“The decision provides our firefighters and their families stability,” Sanchez said after the vote. “It recognizes their service and their sacrifices, and it also strengthens our ability to recruit [and] retain our qualified professionals.”
Several residents spoke in support of the agreement.
Jeff Tyre said collective bargaining did not have to be combative.
“Some people believe this has to be an adversarial process, and that’s the furthest thing from the truth,” Tyre said. He added that Apopka “must continue to keep pace with the competitive market” to recruit and retain firefighters.
Sylvester Hall invoked fallen Apopka firefighter Austin Duran while emphasizing the risks first responders face.
“When Austin Duran woke up one morning, he never thought his life would change and he would lose his life,” Hall said. He urged the city to provide firefighters with strong training, compensation and working conditions.
Commissioner Nadia Anderson thanked Sanchez for helping make the negotiations smooth, contrasting the process with the more difficult negotiations of previous years.
Mayor Nick Nesta similarly praised the cooperative approach.
“You really helped to reestablish that this process doesn’t need to be adversarial,” Nesta told Sanchez, adding that the agreement makes Apopka more competitive with neighboring municipalities.
Local 5293 President Kyle Lampp thanked commissioners, fire administrators and residents following the vote.
“It really is amazing what can be done when we have the right measures in place,” Lampp said. “It’s night and day from where we were last time in the process.”
Lampp said the agreement puts Apopka in a better position to retain current firefighters and recruit new personnel.
The agreement takes effect Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2029.