The Columbia Board of Aldermen is hiring two full-time firefighters and changing the way all city firefighters are paid.
The Board met in special session Monday and also hired a part-time employee for the street department.
Fire Chief Jeff McKenzie presented two candidates for hire to help complete his roster. Lyle Berard was hired as a driver and certified firefighter. Berard, a former city firefighter, was hired unanimously after a brief discussion.
“He wished to come back here full-time,” McKenzie said. “His first shift would be Oct. 3.”
The Board also voted to hire William D. Viniard, a volunteer firefighter from Lawrence County, as a full-time firefighter.
“He has volunteer certification at this time and he will need to be sent to the State Fire Academy,” McKenzie said. “This, along with some of the part-time people we have, should cut down on the overtime.”
The Board voted 5-0 to hire Viniard.
The Board also hired Ernest Parsons as a part-time employee for the street department. Mayor Justin McKenzie said Parsons will work on Thursdays and Fridays helping to weed eat and clean cemeteries and parks.
“We’re also looking at hiring a full-time employee for the street department,” the mayor said.
The lengthiest part of Monday night’s meeting consisted of discussions of moving firefighters to a similar pay schedule as all other city employees. City Clerk Donna McKenzie explained the options.
“Right now, they get pay 114 hours and six hours of overtime every 15 days,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is get to a regular pay period so our entire payroll is done at the same time. The only way you can do that is if you go to a 212-hour work month in 28 days. They would still get the same hours. The only difference is that the way the overtime falls. They get more overtime going to a two week pay period.”
The formula for the pay periods includes a change in hourly rate that would allow the firefighters to continue to make the same amount of money. City officials also looked at a 2-percent raise for the department’s firefighters.
Chief McKenzie said he was going to continue a search for one or two more part-time firefighters to fill in gaps for vacations and needed time off.
“If anything comes up, we could get them to come in,” he said. “I’m aware that overtime eats up our budget. We had several people retire and we’re working to recover. It’s taking a little time to do it, but we’re doing it the right way.”
The Board then voted unanimously to change the pay periods for firefighters.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Columbia Board of Aldermen is set for 4 p.m. on Oct. 3 at City Hall.
