By Kristin Ledford
The Charleston Gazette
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — For the first time in more than four decades, the St. Albans Fire Department will add an additional firefighter.
“For me, on a personal note ... [this is] something I will remember for the rest of my life,” Chief Stephen Parsons said about “finally increasing the staffing at the fire department, which we desperately needed.”
City council members unanimously approved the recommendation made by the finance committee to increase the number of full-time firefighters to 20.
Parsons said he hopes to have the new firefighter working by the end of April. He added that the finance committee has also approved his request to add two more firefighters in July.
He said the new hires would help keep people in St. Albans safe.
“When you have more numbers, you are less likely to have someone get hurt or killed,” he said.
A new firefighter position last opened up in 1971, according to Parsons.
Also Monday, Councilman Stephen Donelson presented a proposal that he and Councilman J.D. Adkins wrote up regarding the salary increase for the next mayor.
They suggested two plans. One would provide a 2 percent raise for each of the last 16 years, which is how long since the last time the mayor received a raise.
The proposal would add an additional $12,800 to the mayor’s current salary of $40,000.
The other plan would increase the salary by 3 percent for each of the last 16 years, or $19,200.
Both plans call for the salary to be split between the city and the Municipal Utility Commission, for which the mayor currently serves — unpaid — as board president.
The proposals will be considered at upcoming meetings of the finance and ordinance committees.
Council members voted down an ordinance in January that would have increased the mayor’s salary by $8,000 with an option for the Municipal Utility Commission to pay an additional $24,000.
They have until December to pass a raise, which would take effect July 1, 2013, when the next mayor is sworn in.
Copyright 2012 Charleston Newspapers