By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–The town and its firefighters are scheduled to begin arbitration on June 15 over pension benefits that were reduced a decade ago for a department that now finds it difficult to hold on to recent recruits, the firefighters’ union president said.

Firefighters have been working under a pension plan that expired June 30, 2024 as they negotiate with the town. 

Lieutenant Matthew Wille, president of the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 1081, said the benefits, particularly for those hired since 2017, can’t compete with other departments.

“Everyone likes working here but long term for them and their families, it’s the right move to leave,” he said. 

Wille said the only official offer the town has made was to keep the benefits as they are.

First Selectman Kevin Christie declined to comment on the negotiations, saying that he wanted to “respect the process.”

“All of our public safety employees are incredibly important to the town,” he said.

In public discussion of the pensions for police officers, attorney for the town Christopher Hodgson said Westport introduced defined contribution plans for public employees around 2016 because of a financial crunch. In the new plans, employees pay into their benefits, as opposed to defined benefit pensions that were guaranteed and covered entirely by the town.

The major issue is the benefits for firefighters hired since 2017, whose pension plans amount to 1.5% of their final annual compensation for every year of employment, with no cost-of-living adjustment, Wille said. Upon retirement, they can keep their health insurance plan by paying 40% of the premium for themselves and the full premium for a spouse, he said. Their 401K match is 50% up to 6% of base salary

Wille said the firefighters’ union saw problems with the plan a decade ago.

“At the time, we warned the town that this plan was going to cause tremendous turmoil,” he said, adding: “Everything we predicted came true in that time.”

The issue took center stage recently when Fire Chief Nicholas Marsan asked the Representative Town Meeting for $495,615 to replace five firefighters who left for other departments before completing their first year on the job.

The vacancies drain funds from the department, which recruits, vets and trains firefighters only to see them leave – incurring overtime costs to cover the shifts while the department repeats the process – Marsan said at the time.

The issue is broader than losing new firefighters, Wille said. Some recruits turn down offers from the start in favor of departments with better pensions, he said. Also, using overtime to fill shifts left open by unexpected departures not only costs money, it puts a strain on firefighters, Wille said.

“It’s taking a tremendous toll on everyone here,” he said.

Ken Valenti

^{_{A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.}}