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Monroe council votes to make deputy fire chief a full‑time position, cites $25,000 2026 budget impact
Summary
The council approved a resolution to transition the budgeted deputy fire chief from part‑time to full‑time effective on adoption. The fire chief and committee cited operational needs and a CIT study; the estimated net impact to the 2026 budget is about $25,000.
The Monroe Common Council voted unanimously on Sept. 2 to transition the budgeted deputy fire chief position from part‑time to full‑time effective upon adoption of a resolution put forward by the Salary & Personnel Committee.
The committee and the Monroe Fire Department presented the change as a staffing adjustment to meet rising operational demands and follow recommendations in the cited CIT study. The resolution states the position will be incorporated into the city’s organizational chart and 2026 budget.
Fire Chief Rufe described the deputy chief’s duties in the fuller role: “They will respond to calls, depending on availability and what they’ve got on their plate,” and the deputy will “manage and continue to develop the inspection program through part‑time inspectors” while carrying managerial and leadership duties when the chief is not present. Council members pressed for clarity about inspections and workload; Rufe said the department intends to retain two part‑time inspectors and have the deputy chief support and lead them.
Administrator Randy and budget materials prepared for council show the net effect of replacing a budgeted full‑time fire inspector with a full‑time deputy chief results in an estimated difference of about $25,000 to be carried into the 2026 budget. The city indicated the anticipated start date for a hired full‑time deputy chief would be January or February 2026, pending recruitment.
The resolution passed on a unanimous roll call.
