Tuesday, April 8, 2003

Adopted May 15, 2003

(Audio Replays of the meeting are available upon request)

A special called meeting of the Wake County Fire Commission was held on Tuesday, April 8, 2003, 6:00 PM in the EMS Training Classroom located at lower level of the Wake County Commons Building, Carya Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Fire Service Compensation Study. Raymond Echevarria presided as Facilitator and called the meeting to order.

CALL MEETING TO ORDER

The following members were present: Mr. Jeff Frazier, Commissioner Phil Jeffreys, Chief Paul Dunwell, Chief Tony Mauldin, Mr. Billy Myrick, Mr. Dewey Poole, Captain David Price, Chief A.C. Rich, Chief Ron Roof, Ms. Ann Suggs, and Chief Tom Vaughn.

Members absent were: Mr. Cloyce Anders, Chief Chiotakis, Ms. Cathy Lohr, Chief Rodney Privette, and Mr. Buddy Scarboro.

DISCUSSION OF FIRE SERVICE COMPENSATION STUDY

Catherine Clark provided presentation on the results of the Fire Service Compensation Study and distributed handouts.

The following items need further discussion:

• Need to identify number of years to move through pay range and number of years to get to mid-point – implement structured pay scales.
• District Chief – Need to verify salary data.
• Assistant Chief – May need to bring position into compensation system between District Chief and Fire Chief.
• Pay variances between fire service and law enforcement positions.
• Implementation and cost sharing of study recommendations for departments that protect municipal and county areas.
• Provide for maintenance of program; how will program be maintained?
• May need to consider longer than 3-year implementation plan.
• What is impact on budget after 3 years?
• What happens to employees at top of pay range?

Upon motion of Captain David Price, seconded by Ms. Ann Suggs, unanimously agreed:

Waters Consulting Group compensation recommendations for fire departments with which Wake County contracts be accepted by the Fire Commission, and recommended by the Fire Commission to Wake County's Manager for inclusion in the budget that he will recommend to the Board of Commissioners for fiscal year 2004, and in subsequent fiscal years as applicable:

1. For all full-time and part-time (less than 30 hours per week) personnel, adopt the three year/one-third per year implementation plan proposed by Waters, with the following implementation plan assumptions:

· For full-time personnel, position in pay plan is based on time in grade
· Midpoint will be the implementation ceiling
· At the end of three years, no one will be below new minimum
· Ranks and qualifications will be County-wide
· County-wide pay increase policies
· Meet FLSA standards

2. Pay plan will be maintained in the future as recommended by Waters
3. Pay plan (including administration of pay) will be the same for all departments; pay plan technical administrative support services will be addressed by the Fire Compensation Study Team with a recommendation to the Fire Commission at the November, 2003 meeting.
4. Benefits policies will be reviewed with a goal of recommendation for a County-wide standard for the budget year(s) beginning July 1, 2004.
5. For volunteer members, establish a County-wide firefighter base of $7.00 reimbursement per call/training session, also meeting FLSA standards, all to be implemented in the budget year(s) beginning July 1, 2004, with study of volunteer officer reimbursement by the Fire Compensation Study Team during 2003.

Fire Commission adjourned meeting.