To: Board of Directors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: Side Letter of Agreement between Contra Costa County, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (“CCCFPD”), and IFPTE, Local 21.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT a Resolution approving the Side Letter of Agreement between Contra Costa County, CCCFPD, and IFPTE, Local 21 addressing the impacts associated with the transfer of the Hazardous Materials Program from Contra Costa County Health Services to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Side Letter of Agreement presents no additional costs to the County. The transition of the Hazardous Materials Program is reflected in the Fire District budget.
BACKGROUND:
In 2022, union representatives and staff in the County Hazardous Materials Division of the Contra Costa Health Services Department brought the concept of transitioning the Program to the Fire Protection District to the County’s Labor Relations Division. Over the course of several meetings, the County agreed to explore the concept further with the Fire Protection District and provide an outline of how such a transition would occur. On June 24, 2025, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve the transfer of the functions and employees of the Hazardous Materials Program from the Contra Costa Health Services Department to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Between May of 2024 and March of 2025, the Fire District and Labor Relations met with staff and employee organizations to review the proposed revisions to classification structure in the event of a transition of the Hazardous Materials Program to the Fire District. For Teamsters, Local 856, it was determined that the majority of staff would transition into newly established Fire District specific classifications of Hazardous Materials Inspector (V4VA). For IFPTE, Local 21, the majority of staff would transition to specific Fire District positions equivalent to their current roles, including a newly established Fire District specific classification of Hazardous Materials Captain (VLHC). Both the Hazardous Materials Inspector classification and the Hazardous Materials Captain classification will be represented by IAFF, Local 1230.
The transition of the Hazardous Materials Program to Fire will mean that all CUPA functions in the County currently performed by Health will be performed through the Fire District. The merging of the capabilities of the Fire and Health HazMat teams into one organization will strengthen the overall capability of hazardous materials response, planning, and regulatory and code compliance in the County. The Fire District's Hazardous Materials Division will be responsible for the CUPA functions from the date of the transition.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Hazardous Materials Program employees may not start their employment at the Contra Costa Fire Protection District with the appropriate terms and conditions of employment.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
body
IN THE MATTER OF the Side Letter of Agreement between Contra Costa County, CCCFPD, and IFPTE, Local 21 addressing the impacts associated with the transfer of the Hazardous Materials Program from the Contra Costa County Health Services Department to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, acting in its capacity as the governing board of the County of Contra Costa and the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District RESOLVES THAT:
The attached Side Letter of Agreement be ADOPTED.