Agenda - Council - 08/25/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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! I '1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I pr_.. CASE#: q CONSIDER 1999 PAY INCREASE FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS By: Linda Waite Smith, Administrative Services Manager Dean Kapler, Fire Chief Background: For several years, the City has been following a plan to bring the pay rates for on-call fire fighters more into line with rates paid in other metropolitan communities. Although members of the department are technically volunteers, currently officers receive a small salary and firefighters who are past probation are paid $8.20 per hour for fire ~ills and $6.00 per hour for meetings, drills or community events. A review of 1998 Stanton salary data of group six cities, shows the pay for on-call firefighters to respond to fire calls ranges fi.om $5.00 to $12.00 per hour with an average of $8.53 per hour. According to Stanton, pay for drills ranges fi'om no pay to $10.07 per hour, with an average of $7.56 per hour. Using the Stanton data as a starting point, the following proposal to increase firefighter and fire officer salaries is submitted for consideration. Financial Impact: The projected financial impact of implementing the proposal in 1999 would be $12,943 for salaries and $990 for Social Security and Medicare.. Details are included in the chart on the following page. Funding Source: According to the Finance Officer, all but $950 of the total amount of funding needed has been included in the proposed Fire Department budget for 1999. The additional $950 would be allocated fi.om other line items. Fire Calls: Calculations are based on I998 experience and assume that the department employs 28 firefighters who each respond to 45% of 400 calls that last an average of 1.25 hours each Meetings: Calculations for 1999 meetings assume that 22 firefighters attend 12 meetings lasting an hour each. Drills: Calculations for 1999 drills assume that 22 frrefighters attend 36 drills lasting two hours each. Officers: Each officer has specific duties which are itemized in an attachment to this case. Proposed salary increases for officers are included in the chart on the following page.