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Council member raises concern about firefighter pay and retirement; colleagues urge review of HR data
Summary
Councilman Tre’Haywood (transcript: Haywood) said Clarksville firefighters are paid below peer cities and raised retirement and starting‑pay concerns; other council members urged him to consult Human Resources and fire leadership and noted a proposed 2.5% wage increase in the draft budget.
Council member comments on May 29 included an extended discussion about compensation for Clarksville firefighters. Councilman Haywood said firefighters in the city are underpaid compared with nearby municipalities and said starting pay for recruits in the academy is about $43,000; he said he would not support the proposed budget as presented and intended to propose amendments to raise firefighter pay.
Haywood framed the concern as both a recruitment and retention issue and said he had been researching pay plans from neighboring jurisdictions and planned to share those with city Human Resources. He said, “I will not be voting in favor of our budget,” unless adjustments are made for firefighter pay.
Several colleagues urged caution and recommended working through internal channels. Councilman McLaughlin recommended that Haywood consult Human Resources and review prior market studies that had led to targeted wage adjustments; McLaughlin cautioned that the city’s call volume per station and service model should be factored into comparisons. Councilman Streetman suggested Haywood speak with Fire Chief Montgomery and HR to gather complete data before proposing amendments. Councilman Chandler and others emphasized the need to compare total compensation (including retirement and health benefits) and differing retirement systems across jurisdictions before drawing conclusions.
A staff member referenced a draft budget that includes a proposed 2.5% wage increase for all employees. Council members asked for further data from HR and the fire department prior to committing to amendments.
