CalPERS contract amended to change park ranger to sworn status

CHICO » The Chico City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to amend its contract with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, commonly known as CalPERS, to allow for the city’s park rangers to have a sworn status and be considered local safety members.

Chico’s park rangers were given the sworn status in 2018 in a restructuring effort to ensure the employees were properly trained and ready for the position.

“Unfortunately, we have been unable to amend our contract with CalPERS, establishing our sworn park rangers as local safety members due to having only one incumbent in the three allocated (full-time equivalents),” according to an agenda report prepared by Chico Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Jamie Cannon. “We are now fully staffed and can make the required contract amendment with CalPERS.”

The process began in December when the City Council voted to move forward on discussing the amendment. Cannon said the new classification will bump up benefits.

“Our sworn park rangers are now in the established safety classification with a benefit formula of 2.7 percent at 57,” Cannon said. “This mirrors our other non-classic members in our police and fire units. Classic safety members have a retirement formula of 3 percent at 50.”

Cannon elaborated on the wait time to amend the contract.

“This was the original intent when the position was established; however, based on recruiting issues, we just now had more than one employee in that classification,” Cannon explained. “CalPERS requires contract agreements to be more than a party of one, thus the delay.”

Park rangers previously were in the miscellaneous category for CalPERS benefits.

No one spoke during the public comment section of the item during Tuesday’s meeting.

CalPERS requires that all contract amendments must be passed by way of an ordinance via the city council before going to the board of administration for approval. The amendment takes hold 30 days after being passed.

The report said there is no fiscal impact on the city as a result of the ordinance being passed.

The Chico City Council mostly meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 421 Main St. Meetings are free and open to the public.