Muncie Fire Merit Commission opens 2026 promotion and hiring processes; annual budget submitted to council

The Muncie Fire Merit Commission voted on Sept. 11 to open its 2026 promotion and hiring processes and set timelines for applications and testing, and commissioners said the commission’s annual budget — about $34,000 — has been submitted to the City Council for consideration.

The commission approved a motion to open the hiring and promotional processes; Commissioner Keith Herbert made the motion and it was seconded and carried with all present voting in favor. Commissioners also approved the minutes of the commission’s Sept. 14, 2025 meeting earlier in the session.

Why it matters: the timelines and testing materials set now determine who will be eligible for promotion and for new-hire certification lists during 2026, affecting staffing levels for the Muncie Fire Department and the pool of candidates available to fill vacancies as firefighters transfer or depart.

Commissioners and staff described key dates and components for candidates. The commission expects promotional sign-ups to open in mid-October with a cutoff “around the October 20” timeframe; the chief said the promotion process — written examinations, oral interviews and related steps — is expected to conclude in February or March 2026. For hiring, the commission agreed to open applications on Oct. 1 and leave the application window open through Dec. 31, 2025, after which physical qualification testing (CPAT) and ladder-climb evaluations would be scheduled in early 2026.

“The recruits are moving along great,” the fire chief said, adding that current recruits are “about two‑thirds of the way through their EMT class” and that “we’re only a few weeks away from getting those four remaining recruits onto the floor.”

Staff and commissioners discussed planned changes to testing materials and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will feed into the promotion exam. The commission said it is working with its long‑time testing vendor and that the department’s SOP revision committee aims to finish updated SOPs by early December. If the SOPs are finalized in time, the testing vendor would incorporate them into the exam material; commissioners also discussed the possibility of supplementing the vendor’s test with department‑specific questions tied to the new SOPs, but noted any supplemental material would need agreement from the union and the commission.

Commissioners discussed recruitment challenges and retention trends. Staff reported the department has lost several personnel recently to positions in southern Madison County and that other departments are hiring large classes; those departures affect how many new hires Muncie will need. Commissioners said outreach measures — printed promotion materials with a QR code and a planned presence in the homecoming parade — will be used to boost local applications. The commission said using local recruitment funds to attract applicants who are invested in the community could improve retention.

On the commission’s budget, staff stated the annual budget submission to City Council totaled “a little about $34,000 and change” and is largely consistent with the prior year. Staff said the budget covers routine needs, including the costs associated with videoing meetings. The commission also said it plans to honor Denise Moore next month by presenting a departmental leadership award.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included approval of the prior meeting minutes and the motion to open the hiring and promotional processes. The session ended with a motion to adjourn that carried by voice vote.

Notes on scope and limits: commissioners emphasized that actual hiring numbers will depend on staff departures and external offers to current employees. Commissioners also noted that some aspects — including whether supplemental promotional questions are used — remain contingent on union agreement and final SOP completion.