Fire Board Approves New Position
By Ray Balogh
InkFreeNews
TURKEY CREEK — In a special meeting held Monday, Oct. 25, the Turkey Creek fire board unanimously approved Fire Chief Mickey Scott’s request to increase the department’s workforce from 16 to 17 full-time firefighters and paramedics.
The request was prompted by current exigencies in the department, which Scott detailed in his presentation. Three full-time positions are currently open, each for a different anticipated length of time. One firefighter recently resigned, another is out for surgery but expected to return by the end of November and a third is on indefinite medical leave.
Under the department’s current interlocal agreement, the fire and township advisory boards must approve the request for expansion.
Current position openings have necessitated the imposition of overtime for other members of the department, some of whom have exhibited fatigue and expressed frustration at the extended work obligations.
Scott estimated, “we will pay about $13,000 in October and another $20,000 in November for overtime.”
The department’s operating budget is sufficient to accommodate paying for the extra position and Scott said he has three qualified applicants to fill the openings.
“I would like to make employment offers to two of the candidates tomorrow, with their employment to begin Tuesday, Nov. 9,” he said. The offers will be contingent upon the request’s approval by the township advisory board when they meet Monday, Nov. 8.
That board’s approval is all but assured, as two of the fire board members constitute a quorum on the township board.
Some of the costs of the new hires will be delayed until fiscal year 2022, as they will not be eligible for health insurance for 60 days and longevity pay will not attach for one year.
Scott said, “they’ll work five days a week until they are acclimated to our system and then go on 24-hour shifts.”
The boards this year approved a 5% across-the-board salary increase requested by Scott “to keep pace in the market. Everybody is hiring now,” he said, citing fire departments in North Webster, Nappanee, Elkhart and possibly Goshen.
He noted Turkey Creek is competitive because “our benefits are excellent.”
“At this point this would be the smartest moved we could make. This doesn’t mean we have to fill that 17th position but it is available if we need it.”