HUNTINGTON BEACH Police Chief Rob Handy (City of HB photo).

A negotiating standoff between the City of Huntington Beach and the Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Association now into its third year may come to a conclusion at Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council.

The council will take up a tentative agreement and proposed memorandum of understanding between the city and the union for a period running from Oct. 1, 2017 through the end of 2019.

The inability of the parties to agree on a contract is believed to be a factor in the efforts by the HBPOA to criticize the performance of Chief Robert Handy, including a vote of “no confidence,” and urging his removal.

However, the council majority – on a 6-1 vote – backed Handy in February 2018, giving him a five-year contract extension through 2023.

The proposed new pact includes changes in medical benefits, vacation and compensatory time off. Officers would also get a one-time $1200 reimbursement for expenses related to equipment needed for their work.

Also on the agenda are:

• an agreement with Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. for bridge design services;

• consideration of options for review of the city charter, with the choices being between convening a charter review commission or creating an ad hoc committee composed of three city council members, the city attorney and the city manager.

The council will meet in its chambers in the Civic Center at 2000 Main St. (at Yorktown Avenue) at 6 p.m.