Simpson County and Franklin authorize stipends for on-call firefighters pending staffing plan

The Franklin City Commission and Simpson County Fiscal Court voted March 7 to authorize temporary stipends for on-call firefighters to bolster after-hours coverage while officials continue work toward a full-time department.

Chief Leslie Goodrum of Franklin Simpson Fire Rescue told the joint session that staffing remains five full-time firefighters on an 8 a.m.–4 p.m. weekday schedule and is unchanged since an October discussion. After discussion, Magistrate Marty Chandler moved and Myron Thurman seconded a motion "to authorize the Fire Chief to have up to four people for a stipend on call after hours on weekdays, Sunday, and holidays"; the motion carried and was recorded by both bodies as "Yes-All."

A second motion, moved by Wendell Stewart and seconded by Dale McCreary, authorized the same up-to-four on-call stipends with a stipulation that by the next joint meeting in September there be a plan to staff with at least two full-time firefighters and to maintain at least two on-call personnel after hours. That motion also carried, recorded as "Yes-All."

The measures direct the chief to implement immediate, stipend-based on-call coverage and for the county to amend its budget to fund the stipends. The joint session did not record specific dollar amounts for the stipends or a staff-proposed timeline for hiring additional full-time firefighters.

The joint bodies set September as the next checkpoint: by that meeting, a formal staffing plan is to be presented. The actions taken are interim measures intended to increase coverage while departments and elected officials refine a long-term staffing strategy.