A new pay plan will soon be put in place for employees of the DeKalb County Ambulance Service.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted 12-1 to adopt the proposal recommended by the budget committee which seeks to reduce overall EMS overtime hours but to raise each employee’s hourly pay. The EMS schedule will change to 24/72 (24 hours on duty/72 hours off duty). EMS employees will also get a 3% bonus retroactive to January 1, 2018 thru to the effective date of the raises in addition to the pay raises which will not be retroactive.

Third District Commissioner Jack Barton moved to adopt the plan. Fifth District member Jerry Adcock seconded the motion.

Commissioners Barton, Adcock, Mason Carter, Kevin Robinson, Joe Johnson, Jonathan Norris, Betty Atnip, Larry Summers, Bradley Hendrix, Julie Young, Wayne Cantrell, and Jimmy Midgett voted in favor. Jeff Barnes voted against it.

Before the vote, First District Commissioner Julie Young moved to amend Barton’s motion. She wanted to approve the new pay scale as proposed but to allow the EMS Director Hoyte Hale to make his own employee schedule instead of implementing the 24/72 plan. Her motion to amend failed to get a second.

After the vote, EMS Director Hale requested more time to implement the new schedule. The commission voted to make it effective with the first pay period in May.

(CLICK PDF LINK BELOW TO VIEW PAY PLAN FOR DEKALB AMBULANCE SERVICE EMPLOYEES AS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION)

510 PAYSCALE LOCKED March 22,2018

(CLICK PDF LINK BELOW TO VIEW 24/72 SHIFT SCHEDULE FOR DEKALB AMBULANCE SERVICE EMPLOYEES AS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION )

24 HOUR Proposed EMS Schedule

According to Commissioner Norris, the plan will cut down on overall EMS overtime hours but will raise each employee’s hourly pay by double digit percentage increases.

“The current pay plan does not have a baseline. Meaning a defined starting point based on Certification and years of service. It also does not have a defined starting and yearly wage chart,” said Commissioner Norris.

“The plan approved by the county commission works like this:

•It will establish a baseline and structure for recognizing certifications and years of service as pay enhancements.

•It will schedule as a 24/72 (24 hours on duty/72 hours off duty) with the first pay period consisting of (2) 48 hour weeks and the second pay period consisting of one 48-hour week and one 24-hour week.

•It will give a double-digit percentage hourly pay raise to each current employee of the EMS.

•It reduces the amount of overtime hours employees must work each year from 824 to 312. It reduces the number of regular hours an employee has to work each year from 2080 to 1872

•It will give 10 days off the first two week pay period and 11 days off the second two week pay period, or roughly 21 days per month off.

•Each employee will have off (3) Fridays, (3) Saturdays (3) Sundays per month

•There will also be a pay increase each year for every employee.

•Years 1-4 is a 2% increase each year

•Year 5 is a 6% longevity increase

•Years 6-9 is a 2% increase each year

•Year 10 is a 5% longevity increase.

•Years 11-15 is a 1.5% increase each year

•Year 16+ is a 1% increase each year

•Current employees will automatically get the increase on their scale for service and certification.

•.50 cent increases on the hour are included for shift supervisors

•.25 cent increases on the hour are included for the designated Quality person and trainer

“In order to establish this baseline and pay scale the schedule must change and while all employees will have double digit percentage increases hourly, some employees would not make as much annually as they did in the previous year 2017. This is due to reduction in hours from 2904 hours per year scheduled to 2184 scheduled. But their pay would continue to increase every year of service with fewer hours required.” explained Commissioner Norris.

“Other employees would receive significant increases annually versus 2017 (the current pay scale) and their pay would continue to grow each year while others would stay roughly the same for one year and then increase each year thereafter according to the established scale,” said Norris.

“The idea is to put in a system that balances the pay scale and increases the hourly wages for the EMS personnel. This is something that allows them to increase and make more money by getting increases on years of service and certifications and not having to rely solely on extra overtime to make their living. One that will allow more home and family time for those that want that and the ability to work in conjunction with other places if that is what they prefer. I believe it will also aid in the attraction of new employees and help with the retention of existing employees. It also has to be fiscally smart and not place a huge burden on the citizens of DeKalb county with huge budget jumps. This is something that we can plan for and budget for each year. It is a measurable scale that allows us to realize its true impact and still continue to increase wages that are more than deserved and needed to provide for the citizens of the county and all the Emergency services personnel. Like anything, this may not be perfect, but it does give us the chance to be financially responsible and do more for those that deserve it.” Norris continued.

He’s back!

One month after announcing his resignation, Second District member Joe Johnson is back on the county commission.

Actually, he never really left.

Although Johnson had announced in a letter at the February meeting that he would be resigning effective March 1, the commission never voted on the resignation to make it official.

“I had (County Attorney) Hilton (Conger) to check with CTAS (County Technical Advisory Service) as far as the resignation and when it’s effective and its effective when this commission accepts it,” said County Mayor Tim Stribling during Monday night’s monthly meeting.

Second District member Jimmy Midgett made a motion that Johnson’s resignation not be accepted. First District Commissioner Mason Carter offered a second to the motion.

Third District member Jack Barton asked if Johnson is willing to serve.

“I spoke with him and he said he would appreciate it if we decided to do that (not accept the resignation),” replied Midgett.

The vote not to accept Johnson’s resignation was approved on a voice vote of the commission.

Johnson, who was seated in the audience during the meeting, took his place at the table with the other commissioners, after the vote was announced.

Johnson announced his resignation in a protest move after the commission in February failed to approve his proposed new pay plan for EMS staff. At the time Johnson said he was ashamed of the commission’s actions and no longer wanted to be part of the group. He asked County Mayor Stribling to read his type written resignation letter to the commission at the end of last month’s meeting.

Had the commission approved Johnson’s resignation, it would have had up to 120 days to fill the vacancy but the appointee could have only served until August, when the next general election is held for the office.