Residents urge pay increases and "bridge" retirement funding for police and fire during public comment

During the public-comment portion of the Feb. 2025 Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, five speakers urged the city to address pay and retirement for police and fire personnel, and asked the board to avoid creating perceived disparities between the departments.

Kimberly Overton (resident) asked the board to ensure parity and cited an ordinance she referenced as "ordinance 2,000 and four-twenty 4," saying similarly classed positions "are to have the same rates of compensation." She called for equitable treatment of police and firefighters and urged the board to consider funding the bridge retirement supplement if immediate pay increases were infeasible. "If a salary increase for our firefighters is not possible at this time, funding the bridge program would be a reasonable resolution to this disparity," Overton said.

Several former and current public-safety personnel and supporters also spoke in favor of higher pay and retirement supplements. Chris Gonzalez (resident; former captain, House 3) said the demands of public-safety work impose physical and mental stresses and that adequate pay and retirement help attract and retain skilled personnel: "Adequate pay in retirement helps to ensure that we attract, equip, and retain the best possible people for those positions in our public safety departments." Frank Pinson (resident) urged a salary survey and said compensation should be at least commensurate with surrounding cities. Darryl and Ferris (resident) urged the board to prioritize salaries in the upcoming budget.

What the board did: No board action on pay or bridge funding occurred during the meeting. Earlier in the agenda the mayor had withdrawn the midyear budget amendment (the mayor stated she withdrew item 2, the midyear budget amendment, because she was the sponsor). Members of the public asked the board to hold an educational workshop about the bridge program and to allow first responders a confidential vote on whether to adopt it.

Clarifying details recorded in comments: - Speakers asked that capital investments (new stations, equipment) not be treated as substitutes for pay increases. - Overton recommended using salaries budgeted for vacant public-safety positions to seed the bridge program rather than returning unused funds to the general fund. - Several commenters asked for a salary survey comparing Hendersonville to neighboring jurisdictions.

Ending: The public comment period closed without formal board action on pay or retirement supplements. Multiple speakers asked for board consideration during upcoming budget discussions and requested informational workshops for first responders.