Just when it seemed that the City of Indianola had its fiscal year 2024 fire department budget under control, a couple of embers rekindled the flame this past Monday night.
Ward 3 Alderman Ruben Woods made a motion to move Terry Cobbs and Marco Kirkham from $11 an hour to $13 an hour.
The two are part-time firemen, but they are certified firefighters.
Apparently, all certified firefighters working for the city were bumped to $13 an hour during budget time, but Woods said Cobbs and Kirkham were left out by accident.
“They should have been included in the original raise,” Woods said.
Ward 1 Alderman Gary Fratesi took issue with the motion, stating that the board had firmly voted that there would be no more raises this year.
He noted that a public works employee was put up for a raise after the budget was passed, and the board turned that worker down because of the commitment to no further raises.
It appears Cobbs and Kirkham did receive a $1 an hour raise in the original budget, moving from $10 an hour to $11 an hour.
Woods said they should be at the same pay as every other certified fireman, regardless of whether they are part-time or full-time.
“We voted to give these guys a raise, they just didn’t get it,” Woods said.
Ward 5 Alderman Sam Brock was not in favor of the motion either, stating that the two had already received the $1 an hour raise.
“I don’t see a concrete reason to give them $2 additional,” he said.
Fratesi and Brock voted nay, with Ward 2 Alderman Darrell Simpson, Woods and Ward 4 Alderman Marvin Elder voting yes to move the two to $13 an hour.
