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Council hears concerns about volunteer fire staffing and approves $500 SRO stipend
Summary
Orleans council members heard that volunteer fire staffing is shrinking, discussed moving from stipends to payroll to address tax and retention issues, and approved a $500 stipend for a certified school resource officer by voice vote.
The Orleans Town Council on Tuesday heard lengthy concerns about dwindling volunteer fire staffing and approved a $500 stipend for a newly certified school resource officer.
Committee member (spokesperson for the volunteer fire department) told the council the department has lost members and is exploring outreach to local high schools to recruit younger volunteers. The representative urged the council to consider adjusting how volunteers are compensated, saying, “the stipend is killing people on their taxes every year,” and suggested the council study turning volunteer positions into paid hourly roles rather than occasional stipends.
The council discussed practical and legal limits. Another council member noted there may be “special language” for stipends that affects tax treatment and said some districts pay a small meeting stipend; staff said switching to employee status would require payroll processing and additional administrative steps.
During the same discussion, a council member moved to pay a $500 stipend to a local officer upon completion of school resource officer certification. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote; the transcript records multiple members saying “aye.” The motion was described in the meeting as a one-time stipend tied to completing the certification, not a broader change to departmental pay policy.
Why it matters: Council members described volunteer firefighting as a nationwide recruitment and retention problem. Several members said stipends are sometimes insufficient and create tax burdens for volunteer responders; council discussion focused on evaluating options, possible budget amendments for future years, and the need to balance volunteer expectations with financial and administrative feasibility.
What’s next: Council members said they will discuss stipend and payroll options during upcoming evaluations and budget planning; no formal policy change was adopted beyond the $500 stipend motion approved at the meeting.
