Council agrees to test in-house clerical support for fire department before hiring new staff

Council members discussed persistent clerical and administrative workload at the fire department during the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 28 and agreed to try in-house support before creating a new position.

Council member Robin Rolfs introduced the topic, noting the fire chief had said he lacked clerical help. The mayor’s administrative assistant (referred to in the meeting as Ashley / Ms. Montelco) offered to assist with recordkeeping and scheduling, and the fire chief said he will accept that help and expects an initial need of about 5–10 hours per week to start; he said some scheduling and recordkeeping tasks must remain confidential and would be handled appropriately.

The chief also said he is preparing a proposal for a deputy chief position that could address broader administrative needs; he expects to present that proposal at the next committee meeting. Council members agreed to try the in-house arrangement, monitor workload and bring back any requests if Ashley’s duties reach a point where additional staff or a formal part-time hire is necessary.

Why it matters: Clerical and administrative support affects the department’s ability to manage training records, maintenance logs, inspection scheduling and sensitive EMS/personnel records. The chosen approach seeks to meet immediate needs without adding new personnel costs until the workload is better understood.

Next steps: The mayor’s administrative assistant will begin assisting the fire chief; the chief will present a deputy-chief proposal at the next committee meeting and staff will monitor hours and service needs before returning with any recommended job posting or budget changes.