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Budget Committee Meeting <br />August 31, 1999 <br />Page 10 <br />drives an old car that leaks water, which came for DPS, and he enter <br />changes that with an old pickup which is a hand -me -down from public <br />works. Mr. Burgin pointed out that Mr. Alexander needs good <br />transportation and he would like for the pickup to stay in the budget. <br />Mr. Burgin said the Deputy Chiefs are present to discuss a change that <br />they would like to get changed, which is the rank structure of the fire <br />department. Mr. Burgin said the present structure is an antiquated <br />system that is so old that there is not another department in the United <br />States that he knows of that still uses the present system. Mr. Burgin <br />said it is going to cost money in order to make the change simply <br />because they have to change the rate structure and at the same time, <br />they will be changing responsibility and duties. They will be increasing <br />responsibility and duty, and you do not do that without a small change <br />in pay. <br />Steve Neece, Deputy Fire Chief, came forward stating that the basic <br />problem is the rank structure dates back to when the department was <br />running horses and steamer trucks. Mr. Neece said most all modern <br />fire departments have gone to a rank structure similar to the police <br />department where you have officers positions responsible for <br />supervising your tactical crews on the fire range. Mr. Neece said they <br />had asked for this for four years, and they know there are other <br />concerns, and the fire department appreciates what they have <br />received. Mr. Neece said they were basically asking to change the <br />ranks and changing the responsibility with not a lot of increase in pay. <br />It does drive the pay up a little bit. Mr. Neece said he has estimated the <br />increase to be approximately $65,000.00 impact in the budget, which <br />is based on the chart on page two of the handout. The handout shows <br />the current ranks. Mr. Neece discussed the duties of fire department <br />personnel if this new rank structure was implemented with the <br />Committee along with Deputy Chief Grooms and Deputy Chief Howell. <br />Mr. Neece said the process to affect this change would be approval of <br />the rank structure by the City Council. It would involve writing job <br />descriptions for the positions affected, getting Civil Service <br />