WR creates new Fire Dept. position, talks raises, pay scale, for employees

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — During their regular meeting Tuesday evening, Warner Robins Mayor and Council voted to approve the creation of a new “Captain” position within the Warner Robins Fire Department’s suppression crews, referred to by Fire Chief Ross Moulton as a “Battalion Chief.” According to Moulton, this change will help to create equity across the fire department’s several groups, and will allow firefighters of equivalent upper rank to received equal pay in the future.

According to Mayor LaRhonda Patrick, this move is just the first in ensuring all city employees receiving proper payment for their work.

During their pre-council meeting, Patrick described the problem to Council.

Within the fire department, there are four crews: administration, prevention, training and suppression. In three of four of those crews, someone with the rank of Lieutenant would move up to captain, from captain to assistant chief, and finally from assistant chief to chief, each time gaining a raise in pay in addition to their rank — except for suppression.

Prior to their meeting Tuesday, suppression did not have a captain rank, according to the city’s classification plan. Anyone rising in rank within the suppression crew of the WR Fire Dept. was forced to jump from lieutenant to assistant chief, taking on much more responsibility, while simultaneously making proportionally less money than someone who rose through the ranks in a different crew, because there was one less position available to be promoted to, and potentially less time spent with the city.

As their 13th and final item of the night, Council voted to create three new captain positions, allowing members of the city’s suppression crew to rise through each rank, including captain, taking on additional responsibility, and a raise in pay — however, the next batch of firefighters promoted in suppression who jump from lieutenant to captain will most likely make the same or similar pay as any assistant chiefs who came from the suppression crew.

The rank was added, but the assistant chiefs who already worked through the ranks in suppression were not given a raise to make up for the transition.

For the action that was taken, Chief Moulton told The Journal that council’s move was a “step in the right direction.”

“I feel great,” Moulton said. “We’ve been needing these positions for so long.

“[This was a] fantastic move on the city’s part, I’m excited to move forward with it.”

Moulton added that this will give those within the fire department additional opportunities for growth, and will help to further ensure safety for the citizens of Warner Robins.

According to Mayor Patrick, however, this is an issue affecting more than just the fire department — she said that employees who spend longer in each position, or those who rise through the ranks step by step, are often paid more than higher ranked employees who skipped steps during a promotion.

This comes as a result of the city’s current promotion and pay raise policies, which allow promoted employees to enter a new job at either A) the entry pay for their new position or B) a 10% raise from their prior pay rate.

“We have a lot of people who have fell victim to this rule,” Patrick said. “A lot of people are in the same position as the individuals the fire department has mentioned, where maybe they’re performing a position, and there are people reporting to them making more than they do, or they got promoted to a position and they only got a 10% increase, when they should have got a 30% increase.”

Council did not move on this issue, but Patrick did affirm that when the city’s ongoing pay scale study is complete, the city will act on it within the next fiscal year.

“We’re going to do a pay scale study again — first one since I’ve been here — we’re going to do a pay scale study and let it tell us what we need to do,” Patrick said. “We’re going to have a plan on how we’re going to execute the data that’s given to us so we can our salaries where they should be according to other municipalities within out state.

“I think people would have a certain level of distrust because of what’s happened in the past. Many people know the city’s paid for various studies, market studies, development studies, and then they sit their on a shelf never being opened or applied, but the money, our tax payer dollars, have already been spent on it. That’s happened ad nauseam… We have to implement what we are learning from a pay scale study because we have individuals who work for the city that can’t afford rent, can’t afford groceries, can’t afford diapers, food for their children, and I personally take issue with that. It’s not something the city has done, it’s not something our state government has done — it’s just the reality of the inflated market we’ve all been struggling through.”

The agenda and supporting documents for this meeting can be found at the city’s website, or by going to wrga.gov/agendacenter. Mayor and council’s meeting are typically scheduled on the first and third Monday of each month, exclusive of federally practiced holidays.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, March 6. Pre-council will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Carolyn Robbins Room at City Hall. The regular council meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the same building.

HHJ News