SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board of Trustees raised Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel’s salary from $35,000 to $50,000 plus benefits following a special meeting June 15. Even though Vanden Heuvel had another job offer pending, he agreed to continue working as the Seeley Lake Fire Chief.
Trustee Scott Kennedy told the board that Vanden Heuvel was considering a job offer.
“I’ve always felt he has been underpaid as a fire chief,” said Kennedy. “Whether he is here or not here, there is not a fire chief I know that makes under $50,000 plus benefits.”
As of December, the Department of Labor Salary Rules would require the fire chief to be paid an hourly wage plus benefits or make a minimum annual salary of $47,476. The board was unsure if benefits were included.
Vanden Heuvel is currently salaried at $16.79 per hour for 40 hours per week which is just under $35,000 per year plus benefits. He is qualified as a Critical Care Paramedic and has worked in the field for 33 years. The board estimated that he works at least 20 hours of overtime per week.
In 2015, there were more than 300 calls which Captain Shawn Ellinghouse has never seen in the past 16 years on the department. In May 2016, the department averaged two calls per day.
“Sixteen dollars [per hour] is what a high-end EMT [Emergency Medical Technician] makes in Missoula,” said Kennedy. “So think about what we are asking him to do for $16 per hour plus all that extra time.”
Past Fire Chief Frank Maradeo made $43,388.80 per year, which was $20.86 per hour for a 40-hour week. The required increase to $47,476 would increase Vanden Heuvel’s hourly wage to $22.83.
Chair Bonnie Connell added that, while the salary is one issue, another issue is time off. Having coverage when Vanden Heuvel is off is currently a challenge. The officers, while qualified to take command of a scene, are volunteers and have other jobs and commitments.
“Time off is the most important thing. I think what it really comes down to is the public needs to decide what they want here,” said Vanden Heuvel. “Do they want somebody who is going to be responding all the time on all the calls, which to me is the only way to do this. I cannot hear tones go off and not respond and I don’t think that anyone who covers for me should be able to do that either.”
Vanden Heuvel presented one solution for the public could be taking the department back to a fully volunteer department and eliminate the paid jobs. Another solution could be a part-time paid assistant chief position. Ultimately, Vanden Heuvel feels it comes down to what the public expects and wants from the department.
“Pay isn’t everything but I also cannot keep working as many hours without some kind of compensation for that,” said Vanden Heuvel. “I signed the contract but after two years it’s not so great. The pay isn’t comparative to what I’m doing.”
Andi Bourne spoke as a representative of the local newspaper. She said that they have observed over the past two years the leadership, under Vanden Heuvel and the officers, has increased the level of training, professionalism, response times and the cohesion of the department on scenes.
Andi told the board that a home assessed at $200,000 pays $70 per year in taxes to the fire district. Having personally used the medical services twice in the past five years, she said that is “peanuts” to have people who are trained and qualified for medical and fire incidents and are available to respond 24 hours per day.
Bruce Bourne said that the money is in the budget to increase Vanden Heuvel’s salary. He also pointed out that the new engine and second ambulance will be additional sources of revenue for the department. The board also discussed the possibility of considering increasing the levy for the department in the future.
Kennedy made the motion to increase Vanden Heuvel’s salary to $50,000 per year plus benefits. Trustee Rachel Jenkins seconded. The motion passed effective June 16 with none opposed and Gary Lewis abstained.
“I think we have grown as a town and we need to really look at that and let the town decide what they want,” said Kennedy.
While Vanden Heuvel did not accept the board’s offer at the meeting, he did inform them that he will remain as chief the following day.
Discussions about an Assistant Chief, offering a stipend for officers and presenting the public with a mill increase will be discussed at future meetings. The board’s regular monthly meeting is the third Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall.
Reader Comments(0)