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[00:00:01]

I'M GOING TO CALL THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 2023-31 TO ORDER.

[CALL TO ORDER]

I'M GOING TO HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE RISE.

HOORAH! ROLL CALL, MISS JONES.

MAYOR MEDINA PRESENT.

DEPUTY MAYOR. FELIX HERE.

COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON HERE.

COUNCILMAN FOSTER IS ON THE PHONE.

COUNCILMAN FOSTER HERE.

MISS SHERMAN HERE.

MISS SMITH HERE.

THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT ONLY ONE ITEM FOR OF BUSINESS, AND I'LL DEFER TO MISS SHERMAN.

[BUSINESS]

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE COUNCIL'S WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER FOR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS TO ADDRESS, UM, SOME ONE TIME PAY ITEMS RELATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TEAM.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TEAM FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW, AND THEY'VE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS REGARDING THEIR PAY.

SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH THEM.

AND WE'VE BEEN, UH, INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT IN OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN, UH, NEW MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT. SO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ABOUT 18 VACANCIES.

WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, NEXT WEEK, I BELIEVE, OR THIS WEEK, LATER THIS WEEK, I BELIEVE WE'LL BE WORKING ON THE, UM, THE POSTINGS FOR THOSE.

BUT THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS PART OF OUR, OUR ATTEMPT TO, UH, GET AHEAD OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.

THE FIRST STEP IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND A PARAMEDIC INCENTIVE INCREASE THE CURRENT INCREASE, OR EXCUSE ME, THE CURRENT INCENTIVE IS $5,500 A YEAR, PAID OUT BI WEEKLY.

UH, OUR PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THAT TO $12,500, CONTINUE TO PAY THAT BI WEEKLY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

SO THERE WOULD BE A RETROACTIVE PORTION OF THAT, UM, INCENTIVE THAT WOULD BE FROM OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER, AND THAT WOULD BE PAID OUT THIS MONTH, IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

THE SECOND THING WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT FOR THE NON PARAMEDICS, THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE A ONE TIME LUMP SUM BONUS OF $5,000.

IT WOULD BE PAID OUT BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE.

THE EMPLOYEES, THOSE NON PARAMEDICS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, WOULD RECEIVE THE LUMP SUM OF $5,000 IN ONE PAYMENT AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

THE EMPLOYEES WHO'VE BEEN WITH US FOR LESS THAN FIVE YEARS WOULD HAVE THAT SPLIT, AND THAT SPLIT WOULD BE $2,500 IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, AND THE OTHER $2,500 IN THE FIRST PAYCHECK OF MARCH OF 2024.

UM, ALSO, THERE'S CRITERIA IN THERE.

YOU'LL SEE THAT IT RELATES TO YOUR DATE OF, UM, YOU HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY BY A CERTAIN DATE TO RECEIVE THAT.

AND THE LAST THING IS NOT DIRECTLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HERE NOW, BUT IT IS RELATED TO THOSE WE INTEND TO HIRE.

UH, AS YOU RECALL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD TO ADD, UM, A SIGNING BONUS, ESSENTIALLY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING ISSUES FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.

WELL, WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THINGS THAT ARE ARE THOSE WE COMPETE WITH FOR FOR NEW HIRES.

UM, THEY'RE STARTING TO DO SIGN ON BONUSES AS WELL.

AND WE JUST REALLY WANT TO POSITION OURSELVES IN THE RIGHT SPOT.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $5,000 HIRING BONUS I'VE INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET AS, AS IF THE MATH WORKED OUT THAT WE PAID THE ENTIRE HIRING BONUS ALL IN THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR ALL OF THE CURRENT VACANCIES.

SO I PUT THAT AS THE FULL AMOUNT.

THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY HOW IT WOULD PLAY OUT, BECAUSE, UM, HIRING BONUSES ARE NOT ONLY CONTINGENT ON WHEN YOU HIRE AND FILL THE POSITION, BUT ALSO WE END UP WITH CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH THOSE FOLKS, AND THEY'RE PAID AT CERTAIN POINTS IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT OVER A COUPLE YEAR PERIOD.

SO ALL TOTAL, THE IF I INCLUDE THAT AS A FULL AMOUNT, THE TOTAL VALUE OF THESE INCREASES FOR THESE ONE TIME PAYMENTS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR IS AROUND $840,000. UM, AND THE FUNDING I'M PROPOSING USING FOR THAT IS THE UNSPENT GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AT THE END OF THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT NOW HAVE ABOUT $4.6 MILLION THAT WOULD FALL BACK INTO UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE.

SO I'M RECOMMENDING USING THOSE FUNDS AS THE SOURCE TO PAY THIS ONE TIME ITEM.

SO THAT THAT, IN A NUTSHELL, IS THE ITEM.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

UH, COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN. FOSTER.

UH, I DON'T HAVE A VISUAL.

YOU DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, SIR. GO AHEAD.

A. THE SHERMAN DOING THE RESEARCH OF THIS.

WHAT WAS THE AVERAGE, UM, INCENTIVE FOR THE PARAMEDICS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU LOOKED AT? LOOKED INTO THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE AN AVERAGE.

[00:05:03]

I COULD CERTAINLY HAVE CHIEF COME UP AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EXAMPLES WE'VE SEEN, IF YOU'D LIKE THAT.

YEAH. LET'S HAVE THE CHIEF COME UP.

I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. OH.

I'M SORRY. I'M GOING TO HAVE CHIEF STOVER, SIR, COME UP AND HE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN SEEING.

OKAY. THE CHIEF. THE CHIEF MIGHT HAVE IT.

YES. GOOD EVENING.

THANK ALL OF YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.

AND CONSIDERING THIS, UM, AN ANSWER TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER IS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 7500 AND UP TO $10,000 AS AN AVERAGE.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT ARE AT ABOUT 12.5.

AND THEN THEY THEY ROLL IT BACK DEPENDING ON CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

WE'VE, UH, I DON'T HAVE AN AVERAGE OF THAT MYSELF, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE ARE FAR BEHIND EVERYBODY ELSE, NOT JUST WITH THE PAY PART OF IT, BUT WITH THE INCENTIVE PART FOR THE MEDIC.

THE PARAMEDIC PART IS WHERE WE'RE REALLY SUFFERING IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE CAUSING THE CURRENT MEDICS THAT WE HAVE ON THESE UNITS TO, TO ACTUALLY JUST LIVE ON THESE UNITS.

AND IT'S NOTHING BUT PURE BURNOUT FOR THEM.

SO WE'RE HOPING BETWEEN THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT'LL HELP THEM A LITTLE BIT OBVIOUSLY.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, IT'LL ENTICE OTHERS TO COME HERE AS WE ANNOUNCE FOR THESE OPENING POSITIONS, OPENED POSITIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO START HIRING.

HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS IT.

COUNCILMAN. FOSTER. OKAY, CHIEF.

UM. ARE WE ARE WE LOSING? IT SEEMS LIKE WE GOT LESS PARAMEDICS THAN EMT.

ARE WE LOSING PARAMEDICS AT A RAPID RATE OR FROM RETIREMENT OR JUST MOVING ON? I CAN'T ANSWER EXACTLY HOW MANY WE HAVE LOST BECAUSE OF THE PAY, BUT IT'S MY FEELING THAT THERE ARE THAT WE HAVE LOST.

BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT THAT'S BEING RESEARCHED.

MAYBE THE UNION HAS A BETTER NUMBER ON THAT, BUT I DO NOT.

UM, BUT WE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO START LOSING BETWEEN THE PAY AND THE LACK OF THE INCENTIVE FOR THE MEDIC.

AND IF I MAY, THERE'S ONE THING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TO CLEAR UP.

I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN REFERENCED AS JUST ENGINE MEDICS IN THE PAST AND.

YEAH, OKAY. THAT'S TRUE.

THEY'RE ON AN ENGINE. THEY'RE A PARAMEDIC.

THAT'S TRUE. THEY ARE ENGINE MEDICS.

BUT WHAT'S NOT SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND THAT MOST OF US DON'T SEE.

AND I SIT IN THE OFFICE, I DON'T REALLY SEE THIS.

I'M JUST AWARE OF IT FROM MY PAST.

HISTORY IS WHEN AN ENGINE AND A RESCUE PULLS OUT OF THE FIRE STATION TO GO TO A CALL, IF THAT CALL INVOLVES TRANSPORT TO THE HOSPITAL, THAT TRANSPORT ORGANIZATION, IN THIS CASE, BREVARD COUNTY, WHICH DOES EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PROVIDE A GREAT LEVEL OF SERVICE.

SO THIS IS NOT ON THEM. IT'S ALL IN THE FACILITY, THE RECEIVING FACILITY OR THE HOSPITAL.

THEY TURN AROUND, THEY TRANSPORT THAT PATIENT TO THE RECEIVING FACILITY.

WE CAN HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 60 MINUTE WALL TIME.

WAIT, THAT MEANS THAT THE THESE MEDICS ARE SITTING THERE.

THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO DO, BUT THEY CAN'T GET BACK IN THEIR UNIT AND COME BACK IN HIS OWN.

WELL, WHILE THAT'S HAPPENING, OUR GUYS, OUR WOMEN ARE OUT THERE RUNNING TWO AND THREE CALLS DURING THAT 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, DEPENDING ON THE CALL LOAD AND THE TIME OF DAY AND THE DAY OF THE WEEK.

SO YEAH, THEY MIGHT BE JUST ENGINE MEDICS, BUT THEY'RE DOING FAR MORE TREATMENT AND TOUCHING OF PATIENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THE WALL TIME AT THE HOSPITAL OR THE RECEIVING FACILITY.

SO THIS THIS IS GOING TO HELP WITH THOSE ISSUES ALSO.

KENT. COUNCILMAN. FOSTER.

YEAH, I JUST, UM, SO IF WE WERE TO LOSE A I MEAN, IF WE WERE TO LOSE A PARAMEDIC, THAT'D BE REALLY DEVASTATING PERSON.

THE EMT FIREFIGHTER, RIGHT? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

I'M SORRY. CAN YOU CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? COUNCILMAN FOSTER HE'S.

LOSING A PARAMEDIC FIREFIGHTER IS IS, UH, CRUCIAL TO OUR FIRE MISSION.

FIRE RESCUE MISSION VERSUS AN EMT.

I MEAN, WHAT'S WHAT'S THE MOTIVATION TO GET YOUR FIREFIGHTERS FROM EMT TO PARAMEDICS? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

WE'RE HOPEFUL ALSO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE ASKED FOR AND WE'VE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $50,000 PER YEAR TO PUT OUR INTERNAL PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS. THAT'S ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE.

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR, IF THIS CARRIES THROUGH INTO THE NEXT CONTRACT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING MORE OF OUR INTERNAL PEOPLE DO IT AT THE SAME TIME.

NOW, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF INTEREST, BUT WE CAN'T EVEN START LOOKING AT GETTING THEM INTO THE CLASSES TO LIKE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.

SO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY EVEN IF WE SAID YES TO THAT, THAT WOULD FALL IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET ANYHOW.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE APPROACHED US AND SAID, HEY, WHEN CAN I GET INTO A CLASS? SO YES, THAT WILL HELP US INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO GET THIS, GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF.

[00:10:02]

OKAY. COUNCILMAN.

FOSTER. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO COME AND SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? BRIAN LOCAL 2446.

I CAN ANSWER A LITTLE BIT OF THE QUESTION.

SO, MR. FOSTER, WITH REGARDS TO DEPARTURE, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE 26 PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT, MANY OF WHICH ARE MEDICS OR WERE PEOPLE STARTING INTO THEIR MEDIC EDUCATION.

UM, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE IT'S 7 OR 8 WHO ARE IN THE POTENTIAL OF DEPARTING OUR CITY.

MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE ARE ALSO MEDICS.

AS THE DISTRICT CHIEF ALSO WITH THE DEPARTMENT, EACH TIME WE LOSE A PARAMEDIC, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY AT A CRITICAL STAFFING PART FOR, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FIRE MEDICS FOR US TO DO STAFFING A LOT OF DAYS.

AND AS CHIEF STOVER DID MENTION, WE'RE ENDING UP HAVING TO PUT THE SAME FIRE MEDICS THAT WE DO HAVE, THE MINIMAL THAT WE HAVE ON SQUADS, WHICH ARE A GOOD THING FOR CARE FOR THE CITIZENS.

BUT THOSE MEDICS ARE LIVING A DAILY GRIND ON THOSE SQUAD UNITS, RUNNING UP TO 20 CALLS A SHIFT.

SO EACH TIME WE DO LOSE SOMEBODY TO DEPARTURE FROM PAY AND ALSO THE LACK OF THE INCENTIVE ON THE MEDIC SIDE FOR PAY, UM, IT'S A CRITICAL PIECE 100%. UM, AS A DISTRICT CHIEF, I DO STAFFING.

SO I WATCH IT AND IT AFFECTS US DAILY.

WHERE, WHERE WHERE ARE THEY? THOSE THAT HAVE LEFT.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE THEY'VE GONE.

SO SOME.

SO THAT'S A BIG DISCUSSION WHEN WE WE KEEP GOING BACK.

AND SO I AM GOING TO HAVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE I'M GATHERING I'VE CONTACTED EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS LEFT HERE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND I ORIGINALLY WAS HAVING THEM WRITE LETTERS OF WHY THEY LEFT.

UM, I MEAN, IF WE HAVE TO GET DEEPER INTO THAT, SO MANY HAVE GONE BACK.

SOME ARE FROM DOWN SOUTH, SOME ARE FROM THE ORLANDO AREA, SOME ARE.

SO MANY HAVE GRAVITATED BACK TOWARDS UM, AND I MEAN KIND OF GET INTO THE WEEDS HERE IN THE PRESENTATION.

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND IT WAS BROUGHT UP RECENTLY ARE MOVING BACK TO FAMILY.

SO ONE, ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP RECENTLY, HE HE POTENTIALLY IS MOVING BACK TO FAMILY BECAUSE HE CAN'T LIVE IN THE CITY TO RENT AN APARTMENT IN THE CITY, WHICH WE PRESENTED RECENTLY. IT'S $1,800 FOR RENT.

THEY DON'T QUALIFY OUR BASE PAY AT 42.

THEY DON'T QUALIFY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET QUALIFIED FOR AN APARTMENT IN PALM BAY IF IT EXCEEDS A THIRD OF YOUR NET PAY.

SO THESE PEOPLE ARE LIVING WITH MOM AND DAD.

LIKE IF YOU TALK TO MOST OF OUR YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS AND STARTING IN THEIR CAREERS, THEY DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITH THEM.

BUT THAT IS THE TREND.

I MEAN, AND WE ALL KNOW WE TALK ABOUT IT'S FINANCE.

EVERYTHING IS SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.

BUT, UM, MEDIC I MEAN, I'LL JUST SOUND OFF WHAT HE SAID.

AND I KNOW SUZANNE IS ALSO HIGHLY AWARE OF ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IN DISCUSSIONS.

AND THE BUDGET IS THE BUDGET, AND WE ALL HAVE TO WORK WITH INSIDE THAT.

BUT, UM, I HOPE I ANSWER THE QUESTION.

I MEAN, IT'S CRITICAL WE'RE I JUST WANTED TO KNOW MORE GEOGRAPHICALLY, MORE OR LESS WHERE WHERE ARE THEY GOING? ARE THEY STAYING WITH WITHIN OUR COUNTY? ARE THEY GOING TO OUR ORANGE COUNTY? SO WE WE ARE LOSING THEM.

WHAT HAPPENS IS AS A FIREFIGHTER NOWADAYS, IF THEY GO TO THE MEDIC WORLD, RIGHT.

AND WE NOW HAVE FINALLY A ROAD WHERE IN OUR DEPARTMENT WE CAN HAVE THESE FIREMEN AND FIRE MEN AND WOMEN GOING TO MEDIC SCHOOL.

WE HAD OUR FIRST ROUND OF PEOPLE TO GO TO PARAMEDIC SCHOOL.

IN THAT FIRST ROUND.

WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO JUST BECAME PARAMEDICS WHO ARE GOING TO LEAVE US.

RIGHT. AND THAT, SADLY, IS WHAT HAPPENED TO BREVARD COUNTY FIRE RESCUE.

THEIR HISTORY IS THESE FIREFIGHTERS, THEY COME IN, THEY GET EDUCATED, AND THEN THEY START TO SEE.

AND NOWADAYS, SOCIAL MEDIA EVERY DAY, IF YOU'RE ON THIS THING, IT'S CALLED A LIST.

IT POSTS EVERY DAY, A NEW HIRING.

AND IT'S THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN MAKE HERE.

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN MAKE HERE.

SO THE NEWS, IT MOVES SO FAST.

AND PEOPLE AT THAT AGE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT NUMBER.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING AND SIGNING BONUSES.

THESE ARE LIKE SHE SAID IT'S SO COMPETITIVE NOW IN THE FIRE INDUSTRY.

WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT WE'RE BECOMING A TRAINING GROUND FOR OTHERS.

WE ARE AND WE WILL BECOME THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE IDEA HERE IS.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF BEING PROACTIVE.

SO WE BECOME LITERALLY A DESTINATION BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY.

AND YOU SAY IT ALL THE TIME, GREATEST CITY.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY BE THAT, UM, AND WE BUY LAND MASS AND BUY OUR BUILDING THE HOUSES.

I MEAN, WE ARE WE'RE AT A NUMBER THAT LIKE, I'VE BEEN HERE 23 YEARS, WE'RE AT ANOTHER.

LIKE, IT'S CRAZY TO THINK OF CALLS WHEN I RAN WHEN I WAS HERE.

WE'RE MORE THAN DOUBLE.

[00:15:02]

UM, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING AS A DISTRICT CHIEF.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE UNION AS WELL.

BUT AS A DISTRICT CHIEF, I LIVE WITH THESE PEOPLE.

AND THEN WATCH THEM LEAVE, AND ALL I CAN DO IS WISH THEM GOOD LUCK.

YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.

WE PUT TIME AND ENERGY, UM, ON HIS PART.

I KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKED UP SOMETHING FOR US WHERE EACH TIME WE LOSE A PERSON, THE INVESTMENT INTO A FIREFIGHTER AT THIS POINT IS AROUND $100,000 IF WE LOSE THAT PERSON.

SO EVERY TIME WE PUT ALL THE TRAINING NOW, OUR TRAINING IS PROBABLY THE BEST IT'S BEEN IN YEARS BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING THEM ON.

IT'S ACTUALLY A LEGITIMATE, UH, TRAINING COURSE.

LIKE WHEN I GOT HIRED ORIGINALLY, IT WAS TWO WEEKS.

THAT'S NOT REALLY ENOUGH TIME TO TRAIN SOMEBODY TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

SO EVERYTHING IS MOVING IN A GOOD DIRECTION FOR TRAINING, BUT NOW WE'RE GIVING THEM GOOD TRAINING, AND THEN THEY'RE OFFERED THE MEDIC PROGRAM, AND THEN WE'RE LOSING AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT WE BECOME A TRAINING AND THEN THEY WILL LEAVE US SADLY.

AND THAT THAT IS A CONCERN, I APPRECIATE THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? WELL THANK YOU, SIR.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COME AND SPEAK? JOHN MULLARKEY, VICE PRESIDENT, LOCAL 2446.

I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT THIS BONUS IS GREAT AND WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE THE STEP PLAN.

YOU KNOW, OUR STEPS GET MOVED UP, BUT I KNOW THROUGH BUDGET AND IT COULDN'T WORK OUT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO LET, UM, YOU GUYS KNOW, JUST ADDING THIS LITTLE BIT BRINGS US UP TO WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE LOWEST PAID CITY EMPLOYEE, BECAUSE CURRENTLY OUR FIREFIGHTERS RIGHT NOW ARE 15.

WHAT IS IT, $15.13 AN HOUR BASED ON THEIR HOURLY RATE, BASED ON A 53 HOUR WORKWEEK.

AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING KELLY DAYS OUT OF THAT THERE, I THINK IT GOES UP TO LIKE $15.75 AN HOUR.

SO WITH THIS BONUS, IT BRINGS THEM UP TO, YOU KNOW, THE $17 AN HOUR MARK.

SO IF THAT PUTS IT IN ANY KIND OF PERSPECTIVE.

SO UM, AND ALSO, UM, MISS SHERMAN IS ALSO COMING UP.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO START EARLY.

AND UM, IT WAS TOLD TO US, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

SO, UM, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

SO WE WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS AND THANK YOU.

AND PLEASE BUILD US IN FIRE STATIONS BECAUSE WE NEED THEM.

OUR CITY IS GROWING SO FAST.

IT'S, UM, YOU GUYS SEE THE TRAFFIC OUT THERE AND HOW LONG IT TAKES US TO GET TO THESE CALLS.

IT'S JUST GETTING IT'S GETTING WORSE.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS THINKING FORWARD AND HAVING THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN AND, UM APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE. I THINK WE SHOULD, UH.

I NEED A MOTION.

SO MOVED. SECOND, GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR OF FELIX.

COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

NOT NOTHING REALLY AT ALL, MAYOR, OTHER THAN WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, A FEW YEARS BACK, UM, AND US BEING, WELL, STAFF AND THE DEPARTMENT COMING TO US AS QUICK AS THEY DID HELPED US GET, UM, BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

SO I'M ENCOURAGED BY THIS.

AND I KNOW WE DO HAVE MORE TALKS IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO TRY TO GET THINGS BACK UNDER.

I'LL BE BACK. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE.

YES, SIR. THAT'S ALL. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

DEPUTY MAYOR. MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD, EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTING THIS.

UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT'S BEEN SAID, UH, THE NEED IS THERE.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT. THIS IS WAY TOO IMPORTANT TO NOT TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT AWAY.

SO, UH, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS, SO I'M GOING TO LET COUNCILMAN FOSTER.

I CAN'T MAKE A VISUAL OF HIM, BUT I WANT HIM TO.

ARE YOU GOING TO WEIGH IN? UH, COUNCILMAN FOSTER? YES, MAYOR.

UM, YES, I WANT TO WEIGH IN.

UM, THE REASON WHY I ASKED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THE PARAMEDICS AND SENATE AND WHY IT'S CRUCIAL TO KEEP OUR, UH, FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE EMTS TO MOVE THEM UP TO PARAMEDICS.

I THINK THE TESTIMONY FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION AND THE FIRE CHIEF, UH, HIGHLIGHTS THAT, UM, THE REASON WHY I WENT INTO THAT, UH, QUESTION IS BECAUSE FOR THE FIRE MEDICS INCIDENT, IT'S, UH, 12,500.

I DON'T KNOW IF MRS SHERMAN HAS IT IN THE BUDGET TO INCREASE THAT TO 13,500 AT AN EXTRA $1,000 FOR THE PARAMEDIC AND SENATE. UM, THAT'S THAT'S MY THINKING.

UM, UH, WE CAN'T GIVE THEM A RAISE, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE THEM A SENATE TO STAY HERE AND TO COMPETE IF THEY'RE LOOKING SHOPPING AROUND

[00:20:05]

FOR ANOTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

UH, THIS IS A SENATE TO KEEP THEM HERE, ESPECIALLY OUR FIRE MEDICS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM AT ALL.

ESPECIALLY AFTER WE TRAIN THEM TO GET THEM TO THAT LEVEL OF MEDICAL EXPERTISE.

UM, THEY ARE CRUCIAL IN THE SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO, UM, I WOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION AS IS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF WE CAN INCREASE THE, UH, THE PARAMEDIC INCENTIVE TO 13.5.

I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER.

UH. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

SO I YOU KNOW, WE DID GO THROUGH SOME NEGOTIATIONS TO GET TO THIS POINT.

MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU WOULD BE TO, UM, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ADOPT THESE AND APPROVE OF THESE PARTICULAR INCENTIVE CHANGES TODAY, LET US SEE HOW THE IMPLEMENTATION ACTUALLY GOES.

UM, BECAUSE THE PROOF WILL BE IN WHEN WE ACTUALLY POST OUT FOR THESE 18 OR SO POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK TO YOU THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN RECRUITING THE PARAMEDICS THAT WE NEED BASED ON THE 12,500.

IF WE FIND THAT WE ARE NOT, IF WE FIND THAT OUR PAY IS IS TOO FAR OUT OF WHACK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, AND EVEN THESE INCENTIVES DON'T ACTUALLY GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE, THEN WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU.

BUT MY HOPE IS THAT THIS IS ENOUGH TO TO GET US THROUGH THIS TIME SO WE CAN DO OUR CONTRACT.

NEGOTIATIONS HAVE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PAY BY OCTOBER 1ST.

AND, AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND WHERE WE WILL BE IN OCTOBER.

OKAY, THAT THAT'S A GOOD PLAN TO ME.

I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS? COUNCILWOMAN FOSTER.

YES, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO I GUESS I'LL START WITH SAYING I DON'T WANT TO BE A TRAINING GROUND FOR THE REST OF THIS, UH, COUNTY OR ANYONE ELSE, AND, AND.

I THINK THE COMMENTS FROM BRIAN GENT WERE SPOT ON.

WE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO GROW THIS CITY AND THEN HAVE THESE GUYS DO DOUBLE TAP AFTER DOUBLE TAP.

THAT MEANS THEY GET THEY DON'T EVEN GET BACK TO THE STATION AND THEY'RE OUT THERE, UH, PROVIDING ANOTHER CALL, ANOTHER SERVICE.

SO I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO COUNCILMAN FOSTER'S POINT.

UH, THAT'LL BE PART OF THE ONGOING NEGOTIATION, WHICH IS PART OF IT.

BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A GOOD STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

WE NEED TO.

NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO SAVE LIVES.

RIGHT. AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SAVE LIVES IF WE DON'T HAVE THE THE MORALE OR WE DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL THAT ARE GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND TAKE THAT INITIATIVE AND DO THIS JOB.

SO I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

AND I'M I'M QUITE FRANKLY, I'M PLEASED THAT WE'RE WE'RE TAKING THAT INITIATIVE TO KEEP OUR, OUR MEN AND WOMEN AT A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD AFFORD TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY.

SO BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING THAT, UH, I GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.

HI. HI.

PASSES FOUR ZERO.

SO AT THIS TIME, THAT'S THE ONLY, UH, ITEM ON THIS SPECIAL MEETING.

AND, MISS, BEFORE I CONCLUDE, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, OUR HR DIRECTOR, LAURA, IS HERE, AND AND I THINK YOU GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.