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Conway council approves $320,000 pay-structure change for fire department; members discuss funding options
Summary
The Conway City Council adopted an ordinance, with an emergency clause, to change the fire department pay structure and provide midyear raises. Council members discussed longer-term funding options including business licenses and ambulance billing to support further raises.
The Conway City Council on July 22 approved an ordinance that revises Conway Fire Department pay scales, adds senior-level ranks and provides midyear salary adjustments. Alderman Grimes presented the ordinance, which the council adopted with an emergency clause and an effective date of June 28; the vote was 8–0.
City presenters said the pay-structure changes add senior ranks (firefighter senior, engineer senior and captain senior), provide a 2 percent raise for most positions and implement incentive pay (education, language and certificate pay). Officials estimated the full-year cost at about $320,000; because the change is effective midyear, the budget amendment being approved for the general fund covers roughly $160,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Alderman Grimes and staff walked council through comparative figures with North Little Rock and presented a “goal” pay schedule prepared by the fire chief and internal review team. The council heard that the adopted changes narrow Conway’s gap with North Little Rock but that matching North Little Rock’s entire pay scale would require an estimated $1.38 million, including employer benefit contributions.
Council members and staff discussed possible longer-term revenue options to fund further pay increases, including a business-license program (North Little Rock generates roughly $2 million annually from business licenses, the presentation said) and operating a city ambulance service that could bill transport fees (examples cited: Springdale, Russellville and Jacksonville), each of which could produce recurring revenue. No new revenue measures were adopted at the meeting; members said the ordinance was a first step and that they will continue to explore options for future budgets.
The ordinance passed with an emergency clause to apply the changes retroactively to the June 28 pay cycle, so affected employees will receive retroactive pay for that period, officials said.
