Laserfiche WebLink
~'~r ~~ ITEM 3. <br />MEMORANDUM <br />ity of ~~ <br />l~ ~ TO: Mayor & City Council <br />River <br />FROM: Lori Johnson, Assistant City `-~~ <br />Administrator v ' <br />DATE: March 6, 1995 <br />SUBJECT: Joint City Council/Fire Department <br />Meeting <br />In the fall of 1993, the City Council appointed a Task Force to review the Fire <br />Relief Association Pension Plan and Firefighter Compensation. The Task <br />Force held its first meeting on October 19, 1993, and has met 13 times since <br />then. At the January 16 City Council meeting, the Mayor updated the <br />Council on the Task Force's progress. The Task Force is now prepared to <br />present a proposed compensation package which includes revisions to both <br />the pension plan and firefighter pay. <br />• A copy of the proposed compensation package is attached for your review. <br />Several of the items included in the package need further discussion before <br />approval by the City Council. The main items of discussion include special <br />pay (holiday and night call pay) and the total rate of pay per hour. The pay <br />items presented are based on the assumption that the fire department will <br />vote to approve a change to defined contribution. If the fire department does <br />not approve that change, the compensation portion of the proposal would not <br />be implemented. <br />In regard to the special pay, Task Force member Cliff Skogstad surveyed <br />numerous cities to determine whether other cities had either holiday or night <br />call out pay. None of the cities surveyed have a special pay rate for holiday <br />or night call out pay; all calls were paid based on the same hourly rate. <br />The other main item of discussion is the total hourly rate to be paid to the <br />firefighters. Attached is a sheettitled "Fire Department Hour and Pay <br />History," which shows how the total hourly pay is calculated. The average <br />total hourly pay for the last nine years is $21.16. The Council should keep in <br />mind when setting this rate that the City's contribution would fluctuate <br />depending upon the amount of state aid received and the total number of <br />firefighter hours. Only fire call and training hours would be included in this <br />calculation. Other pay for meetings and work station duties would be paid <br />• only the base rate. It is anticipated that this item will generate considerable <br />13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br />