Franklin City merit commission records hires that restore department to 51 firefighters

The Franklin City Fire Merit Commission approved minutes from its Sept. 8 meeting and recorded two recent hires that restored the department to full staffing.

At the commission’s brief November meeting, Ralph Spiker, a commission member, told colleagues that Cameron Moore began work on Oct. 10 and Ethan Hurley began on Oct. 20. "That puts us back at full staffing," Spiker said, adding the department now counts 51 firefighters.

The commission accepted minutes from the Sept. 8 meeting prepared by legal counsel Mike Kyle. "I'll make a motion we accept as written," Spiker said; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Members asked for a status update on the new hires and their fit with the department. The commission discussed that both hires were taken from an earlier eligibility list and that some candidates on that list had declined offers. Spiker said the first person on a newer eligibility list is being held in anticipation of a potential departure in the coming month. A commission member said the firefighter who may leave has been with the department "a year and a half" and had applied to another department; the recruit class for that other department is scheduled to begin in December.

The meeting contained no other substantive business. With no further items, Spiker moved to adjourn; the commission approved the motion by voice vote. The session closed with members offering holiday well-wishes.

Actions recorded during the meeting were limited to approving the minutes as written and a motion to adjourn. No hiring motions, formal appointments, or detailed personnel votes were recorded in the minutes delivered at the meeting.