In an effort to help Addison Township deal with the tough economic times and remain financially solvent, pay increases for the fire department will be almost nonexistent for Fiscal Year 2009-2010.
The trustees voted at their March 23 meeting to freeze the fire department wages, effective April 1.
The only exception is for those who are firefighters and emergency medical technician/paramedics. Their wages will increase from $12.24 an hour to $13.10.
Officials considered this a wise decision, considering there will be a cut in property taxes for next year along with the current economic factors Americans are currently facing. Township treasurer Dan Alberty added the township’s in negotiations with the fire department, which is taking a $50,000 hit in tax revenues next year.
Also, all deputies for township officials ‘clerk, treasurer and supervisor ? will be paid the same regardless of how many years they’ve worked there.
Other changes in the township pay scale included eliminating the $12.51 per hour rate for township deputies with one year of experience and combining it where all deputies–regardless of amount of time on the job–will earn $16.50 per hour.
Alberty suggested this change, arguing he didn’t think deputies with a year of experience should make less than an administrative assistant, who earns $14.20 an hour.
?[Deputies] have an awful lot of responsibilities,? he said.
Other wage changes included setting the pay rate for recording secretaries from $100 for a board meeting to $75 and from $50 for a special executive (closed session) to $30.