MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager

FROM:            Dan Jones, Fire Chief

                        Valerie Meicher, Human Resource Development Director

SUBJECT:      Reclassification of Three Fire Equipment Operator/Firefighter Positions to Fire Lieutenant/Captain Classification

DATE:            January 12, 2009

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend three position classification changes in the Fire Department. 

DISCUSSION

Over the past three years, 18 new positions have been added to the Fire Department due to the effort of Town Council to address adequate staffing goals for fire protection and increased Chapel Hill fire area service demand coverage. To provide adequate supervision, three of these positions were proposed in the current budget to become Lieutenants. During the budget process these new positions were inadvertently dropped.  The recommended action corrects this error in the budget.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL

• Reclassify three Fire Equipment Operator/Firefighter positions (Grade 32-36) to the rank of Fire Lieutenant/Captain (Grade 39-40).  Not only does this enhance accountability but also supports the career development system initiated in the 2007/08 budget.  These three positions would be assigned to Squad 33 (one per shift) to provide permanent supervisory capability for that apparatus

We recommend that the Council enact the attached ordinance: