Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Department Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hollywood Park adopts revised fire department incentive‑pay schedule to boost paramedic retention
Summary
The council approved a streamlined incentive‑pay schedule for Hollywood Park firefighters, cutting the number of incentive categories and raising paramedic pay to bolster ALS coverage while keeping the program nondiscretionary and within current budget projections.
Hollywood Park’s City Council voted Jan. 28 to adopt a revised incentive‑pay schedule for fire department personnel aimed at encouraging key certifications — especially paramedic training — and aligning pay with the town’s operational needs.
The Fire Chief presented the proposal, explaining it reduces the number of incentive categories from about 20 to roughly 11, clarifies which certifications will be eligible, and raises the annual paramedic incentive to make the town more competitive. "Most of our calls within the town are medical," the Chief said, arguing that stronger paramedic coverage is a practical need for residents.
The chief also explained a legal constraint: because the incentive pay is nondiscretionary it must be incorporated into overtime calculations under federal law. He said that makes the program administratively complex but that the incremental overtime cost is small.
Council members pressed for clarity on liabilities and budget impact. The chief said the department’s incentive‑pay liability ranges widely (a theoretical maximum if every employee held every certification), but the numbers shown in the agenda materials are based on current personnel and certifications. He noted the town’s incentive‑pay budget for the year is $45,000 and that even the higher of the two proposed options would come in under that amount based on today’s staffing.
One council member asked whether limiting department‑sponsored certification accrual to a fixed number per year would hamper training; the chief said the cap (proposed at 10 department‑sponsored certifications per year) is intended to manage costs while still allowing necessary training and acknowledged it could be adjusted if staffing or circumstances change.
After extended discussion, a motion passed to adopt the lower‑cost proposed schedule (referred to in the packet as plan A). The council vote followed a motion to accept plan A, which was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The chief told the council he recommends reviewing results after implementation and returning with any needed adjustments to ensure staffing targets — including paramedic coverage on each shift — are met. The council asked staff to monitor actual payouts against the budget and report back as part of regular budget oversight.
Next steps: The revised schedule takes effect according to town personnel rules; staff will track implementation costs and report outcomes to council.
