The Greenwood Fire Department could be adding six new firefighters to its ranks as the city plans to increase its budget this year.
The Greenwood City Council heard two proposals Monday to amend this year’s spending plan, adding more than $226,000 to the fire department’s budget, and amending the salary ordinance to allow the department to hire six probationary firefighters and EMTs.
The city’s fire and police departments, which make up about 36% of the city’s budget, typically receive funding for new personnel each year. But neither department received money for that in the initial 2021 budget plans. The city froze most departmental funds as a precaution, to position itself for financial losses related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Taking another look at city finances mid-year was always an option though, and Mayor Mark Myers had promised in January to find funds for both departments, he said Monday.
“We didn’t think at that time we did the budget we would be able to add any firefighters, nor police officers,” Myers said.
The city’s finances are in good shape, and the food and beverage tax the Greenwood City Council approved in 2019 is bringing in more revenue than expected, Myers said.
If the adjusted spending plan is approved by the city council, the fire department’s budget would increase to $7.6 million.
Adding six new firefighters would help the overall stability for the department’s long-term plan to hire more full-time firefighters each year, Fire Chief Darin Hoggatt said.
The Greenwood Fire Department operates with a mix of full and part-time firefighters. Hoggatt’s goal is to add at least nine full-time firefighters to the department in the near future.
He wants to fill the four fire apparatuses in the city with full-timers, and continue to hire part-time firefighters to supplement that. Part-time firefighters received a pay increase this year to $16, as part of the original budget.
“That has been our plan, to have more full-time firefighters. So we’re getting closer,” Hoggatt said.
The department could also receive $36,500 in funding from the remaining CARES Act money in Greenwood — pending city council approval — for equipment and capital improvements. If approved, $25,000 would replace tablets used in fire apparatuses and vehicles, and $11,500 would go toward replacing the tornado siren repeater system.
All three proposals will go before the city council for a final vote at its June 7 meeting.
