As Emporia City Commissioners continue work to finalize the 2022 budget, a representative of one city department recently expressed displeasure with a recent financial decision.
Emporia Fire Captain Ben Lienemann addressed commissioners during the public comment portion of their most recent action meeting last Wednesday. Lienemann spoke on the commission’s decision to eliminate a five-year two percent wage increase and 2.5 percent merit increase in favor of providing a one-dollar hourly pay increase for the coming year with plans to re-evaluate the wage scales on an annual basis.
The city’s wage scales have not seen a “significant increase” since 2008. There was a minor increase of two percent approved back in 2014, however, since 2008 the Consumer Price Index has increased 24.82 percent meaning the 2014 increase did not bring the scales up to current CPI levels.
Lienemann referred to the proposed one-dollar increase as a “slap in the face.” He added that there is currently a nationwide shortage of firefighters, including in Emporia which currently has five positions vacant with “no one looking at coming in.”
Lienemann says the department’s call volume has steadily increased over the past five years meaning a greater workload with fewer hands available to manage it. He says it is “scary to look where we are going” given the combination of increasing workload coupled with the reduction in staff.
In recent weeks, Mayor Rob Gilligan has stated that he believes all city staff are deserving of a wage increase, however, he has felt that simply providing an across-the-board increase over five years may not be the most fiscally responsible decision. Gilligan spoke with KVOE News following Wednesday’s meeting and stated he appreciated Linneman’s input.
Lienemann tells KVOE News he understands adjusting the wage scales is not a matter that can be handled in the span of a single year. However; he feels there needs to be a better plan in place rather than just an annual review of the matter.
Commissioner Danny Giefer states he has been on both sides of the issue as a former hourly employee, salary employee and now employer. He says “our employees are our most important commodities” and conversations have been ongoing for a number of years as to how the city can best compensate their employees while still being “good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
He says the topic is a balancing act and a difficult one at that.
Commissioner Becky Smith has a unique perspective on the matter as she is also the wife of a local firefighter. Smith says she is happy the city will be providing a pay increase of some kind to city staff and that conversations on the matter are taking place.
She feels wage increases for all city departments are needed sooner rather than later and says the fire department and emergency service personnel best represent that need.
The Emporia City Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the budget on Sept. 15. Word on if additional conversations regarding the city’s wage scales are pending at this time.
