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Council approves budget amendment to align fire pay with market and applies 4% COLA
Summary
Council voted to approve a budget amendment to implement a fire-department pay plan adjustment and to provide a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) consistent with recent police adjustments; councilors cited recruitment concerns and asked that a supporting email be attached to the minutes.
Hamlet City council approved a budget amendment to adjust fire-department pay and apply a 4% cost-of-living adjustment.
City manager presented the amendment, explaining it would implement the fire department’s market-based pay plan. Councilors and staff discussed prior changes to police pay plans and timelines for COLA increases; one councilor read an email from the finance director indicating that excluding the fire department from the 4% COLA “would be unfair.”
One councilor urged parity between police and fire given recruitment challenges; another councilor noted the police had earlier been brought into a market pay plan and that the timing of COLA adjustments differed. After debate a motion was made and seconded to approve the budget amendment; the chair called the vote and members voted in the affirmative by voice. A councilor requested that the referenced finance‑director email be attached to the minutes of the vote.
The motion implements the pay-plan adjustment for the fire department and applies the COLA as discussed. Council did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; members indicated approval by voice vote.
