#02 - 2025 Budget - Laserfiche WebLink

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Issue Summary/Update TO: Lake Elmo City Council FROM: Dustin Kalis, Fire Chief AGENDA ITEM: 2025 Staffing REVIEWED BY: Karissa Goers BACKGROUND: Proposed Fire Department Paid-On-Call staffing adjustments for 2025 • Add the rank of Engineer: this position replaces the previous Engineer/EMT rate. This will allow staff a pay incentive as they commit to the increased training and operational requirements of this position. • Rank of Firefighter now becomes Firefighter-EMT and Firefighter-EMR: these positions replace the previous firefighter rate. This new rate will provide a new rank-based pay rate for POC staff based on their current emergency medical training level. Beginning in 2024, all new POC hires are required to certify to the EMT level. The new rate structure will allow staff a pay incentive as they commit to the increased training and operational requirements of EMT position. Due to the continued staffing and operational changes that the fire department has made over last two years, the department has two positions that are no longer meet the needs of the fire department. • Part-time firefighter: This position went unfilled for 2024 as the department transitioned to its current combination staffing model. This position is no longer needed within our current structure. • Support Services: Since the department transitioned to a true combination and shift-based department, the demands and tasks of staff have changed. One of these positions that has seen a decrease in responsibilities are our support service positions. When the department operated solely as a volunteer, paid-on-call department, our support service staff played an important role in providing maintenance and cleaning of the stations and apparatus and providing support on emergency scenes. Within our current structure, tasks that were previously performed by support services are now completed daily by our on-shift staff. The department will continue to support our staff with chaplain and mental health support services through a number of resources available to the department, specifically the Washington County Chaplin Corps and Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE). ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Will council support the changes to the firefighter ranks and removing the Support Services and PT Firefighter positions? FISCAL IMPACT: These updates are included in the 2025 budget for the Fire Department.