The Culver Town Council members will look more closely at EMS pay in an upcoming work session.
Culver-Union Township EMS Director Jeff Koon presented a proposal last week to raise pay rates to make Culver more attractive in hiring employees, retaining employees and grow as a department. He is asking for holiday pay and increasing the hourly pay.
Koon mentioned that there are six part-time paramedics and 11 EMTs on the Culver roster. He said the proposal would raise the wage from $13.50 to $15.00 and create a system on when the EMS employees would get a raise.
He also brought up working holidays and how he believes that structure would work and what the requirements are so it is fair for all EMS employees. Currently, there is no incentive to work holidays for part-time employees as they work at straight time. Full-time EMS employees get extra for working holidays.
By changing the rates, Koon said that it would not have a negative impact on the 2021 budget.
Koon is also looking for another full-time EMS employee, but that would require an additional appropriation, which will be discussed further.
Council President Ginny Bess Munroe commented that she would like to review the proposal a little deeper in a work session including comparing rates and information in surrounding communities. That and a lot more will be discussed in a work session set for Wednesday, December 16 at 4 p.m. ET.
This is the final piece in the 2021 salary ordinance. Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim said it would be fine to approve the third reading of the salary ordinance at the first meeting in January.
