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Swansea trustees approve firefighter pay bump, in‑car cameras and new duty truck
Summary
At its July 11 meeting the Swansea Board of Trustees approved multiple resolutions: a pay increase for part‑time duty firefighters (from $15 to $19 hourly), purchase of three in‑car video systems (Axon), and buying a 2025 Ford F‑250 as a duty vehicle; trustees also approved a new HR job description and a $10,000 pay raise for the HR director.
The Swansea Board of Trustees on July 11 approved several personnel and procurement measures, including a hike in part‑time firefighter pay, the purchase of body‑worn/in‑car video equipment, and a new duty vehicle for the fire department.
Trustees voted to pass Resolution 1‑2693 to raise the hourly rate for dayshift part‑time duty firefighters from $15 to $19. Supporters said the increase is intended to improve daytime staffing and recruitment; staff warned the change could push the related payroll line over budget but estimated the worst‑case impact at under $10,000 for the rest of the year. The resolution passed by roll call (four yes, one no, one abstention).
The board also approved Resolution 1‑2694, accepting a price quotation from Axon Enterprises for three in‑car video recording systems with mounts and cloud data storage. Staff reported the state has a reimbursement program that will cover the cost; the resolution was approved by roll call.
Trustees approved Resolution 1‑2695 to purchase a 2025 Ford Super Duty F‑250 for the Swansea Fire Department duty rotation at a purchase price of $57,120 from Sunset Ford of Waterloo. Trustees discussed whether to wait for state‑bid vehicles (which can take months) versus immediate availability; outfitting costs could raise the total toward a previously budgeted ceiling of $80,000. The truck resolution passed after a roll call vote (three yes, two no, one abstain).
In personnel business the board accepted a firefighter resignation and approved a job description for a Director of Human Resources. The board also approved a pay‑rate notification raising Christina Empress’s annual salary from $90,000 to $100,000; that motion passed on roll call.
Other routine business included a travel authorization for the finance manager to attend the IGFOA conference and acceptance of the treasurer’s June report.
The board declared all voted measures passed and forwarded implementation details to staff. Several trustees asked staff to monitor budget lines and report back if costs trend higher than forecast.
