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Bowdoin intern: Topsham fire wages broadly competitive but entry-level pay lags peers
Summary
A Bowdoin College intern presented a wage-comparison study showing Topsham’s fire wages are competitive over time but entry-level firefighter and some officer wages can be at or slightly below peer averages; later-tenure pay rates compare favorably.
A Bowdoin College intern who studied municipal contracts reported that Topsham Fire & Rescue’s wage scales are generally competitive across the sample of peer towns but that entry-level wages for firefighters and some officer positions can trail averages in the early years of a contract.
Margaret compared Topsham with two groups of municipalities — larger unionized departments and closer-in-size unionized departments — and said Topsham’s step increases every three years help pay rise over time. “Overall, Thompson's fire wages are competitive with these other towns, but there is some room for improvement. Specifically, Thompson's entry level wages for firefighters and officers are often just about average or even slightly below average,” she said, noting later-year pay tends to be above average.
Margaret recommended the town monitor entry‑level competitiveness to support recruitment, and she offered a written report and charts to the board for further review.
