Opelousas firefighters ask city for pay raises

Opelousas firefighters say their department may soon become sufficiently understaffed unless city officials agree to raise the current base salaries which are significantly higher in other cities.

Although interim fire Chief Richard Joseph is requesting a pay increase of $1.50 an hour for municipal firefighters, a Board of Aldermen Budget Committee was told on Monday night that the amount Joseph is seeking for the raises exceeds what the department can afford in its current budget.

Committee members voted unanimously to discuss the matter further when the Board of Aldermen convenes in April.

City Attorney Travis Broussard told the Committee that after examining the departmental budget during the meeting with Finance Chairman Stephen Woods that it appears a 90-cents-per-hour raise is all the department can afford to pay for the raises at this point.

In February the Board approved a request by Police Chief Graig LeBlanc to provide increases for first-year officers.

According to the police officer pay increase which became effective in February 19, most beginning police officers who were receiving a starting hourly salary of $13, are scheduled to receive about $2 more per hour under the revised pay plan.

LeBlanc told the Board during the February meeting that the Police Department budget has enough money to pay for the raises of the approximately 18 new officers.

Several firefighters appeared before the Board in January and requested increasing the current amounts of their base salaries. The Board took no action on that request.

According to Joseph during his presentation on Monday night, firefighters currently earn a $9.50 hourly wage, which is lower Joseph said, than many other departments in surrounding cities.

During an interview, prior to the meeting, Joseph maintained that there is enough money in the fire department budget to provide the $1.50 increase for the 41 full-time firefighters currently working in the department.

Joseph and assistant fire Chief Bryan Chavis emphasized several times during the lengthy meeting that the requested pay increase is necessary in order to attract individuals who are seeking to become Opelousas firefighters.

“This is not really a raise. It’s for the (fire department) to make sure the department stays solid. Firefighters are not going to look at coming to Opelousas. They are going to look at other departments down the road. Ninety cents is not even a band-aid,” Chavis told the Committee.

Chavis pointed to one Opelousas firefighter who left after working in the Opelousas department for 15 years.

“After he left (Opelousas) and went to another department he’s making more money there, even though he is starting at the bottom,” said Chavis.

Two other firefighters recently left the department, Chavis added.

In the interview, Joseph said that he would like to ultimately employ 49 firefighters in the Opelousas department.

Joseph maintained that at least five veteran Opelousas firefighters have indicated that they expect to retire in the next couple of years. Joseph estimated that he expects to lose 14 firefighters overall over the next six years.

“Right now I’m here to tell (the Committee) that I am looking out for the future of the department,” Joseph said.

Committee member Milton Batiste III said he understands the urgency of the request for the pay increase.

However, Batiste added that the city also has to be mindful of its budgetary obligations.

“We can’t all of a sudden burden the city,” Batiste told Joseph.

Alderman Marvin Richard, who spoke during the meeting, said it appears imperative that the city find some way to provide increased fire department salaries.

“Let’s do it right. Let’s keep this real. We got the money. We need to stop all this. We’re losing our firefighters,” said Richard, who is not a Budget Committee member.

Woods told the Board during a meeting last week that the city was at the midway point on Feb. 28 for the operational budget year that ends Aug. 31.

On Monday night Budget Committee Chairman Charles Cummings suggested that by June, city officials will have a better idea of how much the city budget and the fire department can afford to increase firefighters’ salaries.

This article originally appeared on Opelousas Daily World: Opelousas firefighters ask city for pay raises