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Commissioners approve Pender EMS and fire retention package after hours‑long debate; board asks staff to study county‑wide pay equity
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a retention and recruitment package for Pender EMS and fire staff after a divisive debate over cost and parity with county employees. The board expanded the approved package by asking staff to consider restoring holiday parity and to study comparable incentives county‑wide.
The Pender County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 approved a multi‑component recruitment and retention package for Pender EMS and Pender County Fire that commissioners and department leaders said is intended to stop an ongoing wave of resignations and to recruit certified personnel.
The board voted to fund the package after more than an hour of discussion over the size and structure of the proposal, equitable treatment of frontline staff versus administrative employees, and whether the package should be larger or more comprehensive. Commissioners directed county staff to examine county‑wide pay and benefits to reduce disparities and to return with options.
What the board approved: the package presented to the commissioners included several elements intended to recruit or up‑skill operational personnel — sign‑on or training incentives and a request to fund an…
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