Jerome Township is adding new employees and improving the human resources process.
At it’s meeting Monday, the Jerome Township board of trustees addressed the fire department’s need to increase part-time staffing and to keep the part-time firefighters it has. The township trustees approved a measure to:
– Increase salaries from $11 to $12 per hour for part-time firefighters with basic EMT training and $12.50 per hour for those who are also paramedics.
– Increase the department by 12 part-time firefights, which would increase each shift by two part-time officers.
– Add a part-time firefighter to conduct fire inspections or to cover staffing while other officers conduct them
– Offer paid time off and holiday pay incentives to part-time officers.
“What I am trying to do is maintain and retain the firefighters we have,” said Jerome Township Fire Chief Doug Stewart.
The chief explained his department does not have enough part-time officers. He said for many shifts, there are only three officers available. He said that is not enough to run two vehicles, explaining if there is a crash and a fire or two crashes, Jerome Township must rely on mutual aid from another department, which takes time.
Stewart said the increased staffing “does help us provide the service our residents need.”
The chief said his department’s part-time officers are the lowest paid around.
He said the pay and benefits provide “an incentive to keep them here and make the investment in our staff.”
Trustee Ron Rhodes said Jerome Township used to have one of the best staffed departments in the state until reductions in state funding impacted the department’s financing.
“It has taken us 10 years to recoup where we were in 2008,” Rhodes said.
“And we are not there yet,” Stewart added.
Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell said part-time officers “incurred significant overtime costs” in 2017. He said adding additional staff should eliminate some of the overtime.
The changes would increase the township budget for part-time firefighters from about $104,000 to about $243,000. Caldwell said the money is available for the fire department to use.
Trustee Joe Craft said the plan offered “a lot of moving parts.” He said only one other local department offers holiday pay.
Rhodes moved a motion to include all of the fire chief’s recommendations. He and Craft both voted in favor of the motion. Trustee C.J. Lovejoy was not at the meeting.
The trustees also approved a proposal from human resources consultant Lorrie R. Diaz. The trustees appropriated $6,300 to hire Diaz for the remainder of the year. She will work about five hours a week for the remainder of the year. Stewart said after the first year, the contract could likely be reduced.
Caldwell said Diaz performed a human resources audit on township policies.
“During the audit, we identified some areas where we need to improve,” said Stewart.
Diaz recommended writing job descriptions for every township position; formalize the hiring and recruiting process; update and improve the employee handbook; comply and document both overtime and personnel files; monitor and adjust compensation and benefits for employees; perform reviews; and annually train employees in harassment, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, ethics and safety.
Rhodes said this is the time to get human resource practices in line. He said as the township grows, the need will increase.
Caldwell explained funding for the contract can be spread over many funds as it will address every department, including fire, in the township.
“It might be the best money we spend all year,” Rhodes said.
In other news:
Resident Barry Adler continued to question the use of outside legal council. He said that in 2017, the township paid $152,144 in legal fees — $61,872 from the general fund and $91,272 from zoning funds — with $26,641 reimbursed by applicants for legal fees. He said there are other needs in the township and the county prosecutor can offer many of the same legal services for free.
“I understand that you are within legal rights to hire outside counsel, but the fact that outside legal counsel is being used for everything may be perfectly legal, but may not be the most desirable use of our township funds,” Adler said.