Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield came before the Culver Town Council in May to ask members if there was an existing policy about hiring town employees as volunteer firefighters.
Chief Wakefield explained that being a town employee is one factor that makes someone eligible to work on the fire department. However, he said that the current salary ordinance is keeping him from hiring anyone on, despite the fact that there are a few people who completed the necessary testing and would be able to assist with in-town fires during the day.
The question at hand was whether the employees would continue to get paid their regular rate while responding to a fire during work hours or if they would be paid what other firefighters make.
A discussion ensued, where many different possibilities were brought up but no one had a solid idea of what the best method of payment would be. The fire chief said he knows there are other communities who have town or city employees who volunteer for the fire department, so there must be some way to work it out.
Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe asked Wakefield to do a bit more research to check into the policies that surrounding municipalities utilize and recommended that he coordinate with Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim during the process.
Town Attorney Jim Clevenger noted that the matter would eventually need to be addressed officially by the council, through an ordinance or resolution of some kind or a potential modification to the town’s personnel policy.
