First of two parts
Half the city’s firefighters made more in take-home pay in 2005
than Fire Chief Bill McCormack, according to figures provided to
The Era by Bradford City Councilman Tom Riel.
Fire Chief Bill McCormack’s salary tops the department at
$47,431; McCormack is the only salaried employee in the department.
The remaining personnel, as members of the Local Union 655,
International Association of Fire Fighters, are paid extra for
overtime.
Overtime for 2005 was at 32 percent over the budgeted
amount.
Any firefighter who accrues overtime pay during the course of a
year may bring home a higher gross salary than that of the
department’s chief.
“That’s the way it goes,” said Bradford City Councilman Tom
Shay. Each council member is elected by their fellow members to
oversee departments while serving on council. Shay oversees public
safety, which includes the fire and ambulance services.
Shay explained that fire chiefs go into the job knowing what to
expect.
“When you take that position, you know what you’re getting when
you take the job. It’s kind of a give and take,” Shay said.
Department heads have regular work schedules and holidays off,
while the employees work 56-hour weeks at 24-hours on at a
time.
City Clerk John Peterson, who was fire chief from 1994 to 2000,
explained that fire department personnel work two weeks of 48 hours
and three weeks of 72 hours, which averages out to 56-hour
weeks.
Shay, whose father Ted was fire chief from 1972 to 1985,
explained that with contractual salary increases for longevity and
rank, “You will see some discrepancy with the older captains making
more.”
In 2005, Capt. Boo Coder had the highest gross salary, topping
out at $51,574.55; followed by Capt. Al Pingie with $51,195.92;
Code Enforcement Officer Capt. Merle Silvis at $50,565.41; Lt. Dave
Paul with $50,212.07; Lt. Chris Angell at $49,431.49;
Firefighter/paramedic Rich Zmuda with $49,210.18; Lt. Paul Berg
at $48,907.04; Lt. Larry Visbisky at $48,769.63; Firefighter Matt
Rettger with $48,275.84; and Code Enforcement Officer Capt. George
Corignani at $48,100.51.
All fire personnel work a 56-hour week, with the exception of
the code enforcement department, who work a 40-hour week. When
calculated by the hour, Corignani – husband of Mayor Michele
Corignani – garners the highest rate of pay in the department at
$21.43 per hour and an overtime rate of $32.15 per hour.
Silvis garners $20.48 per hour and $30.72 per hour for
overtime.
Shay explained that the code enforcement jobs are something that
are posted within the department when an opening is available.
“It’s actually a posted job and those who are interested apply for
it.”
The positions are appointed by the fire chief and approved by
Bradford City Council.
“They are still firefighters,” Shay explained, adding that
Corignani and Silvis respond to ambulance call-ins and fire calls
when needed as well.
Meanwhile, the average hourly pay for the other 18 full-time
fire personnel is $13.27, with the highest pay per hour going to
captains Coder, Perkins and Pingie at $14.63, with overtime rates
of $21.96 per hour. The newest hires, Mike Cleveland and Cory
Migliaccio, were each making $10.16 per hour with overtime rates of
$15.24 per hour.
Shay also explained what normally constitutes gross pay above
normal wages for the firemen.
“For one, ambulance call-out goes into that,” he said. “They get
like $15 a call. That is something they agree to in the contract.
By state law, you are supposed to pay them overtime. That was
something they agreed to.”
He explained that call-out time means a fireman agrees to be
on-call when the ambulance is out on a call, so the department is
not shorthanded should the need arise for more personnel.
“There’s a number of contractual issues that drive somebody’s
final salary,” Peterson said. He explained there are factors to
consider such as unused vacation time, which does not accrue. If
the time is not taken through no fault of the employee’s, the city
will pay the employee for the time.
“It’s depending on what’s included in their contracts,” he said,
adding the contracts for each city department are different.
Sick time for the fire department can be costly because of the
way its days are scheduled. Peterson explained that one sick day
for the fire department means another person has to be called in to
cover a 24-hour shift – all on overtime.
A large portion of the year’s overtime was expended in the month
of December with 23 full days of overtime being paid. In January,
there were four days of overtime paid; in February, 12 days; March,
10 days; April, nine days; May, six days; June, 10 days; July, 12
days; August, seven days; September, 18 days; October, six days;
and November, nine days.
Unforeseen circumstances such as major illnesses or injuries can
drive the overtime budget up, Peterson said.
Shay explained one firefighter had surgery, which required him
to be off work and other people to cover his shifts.
And if someone of a lesser grade covers a shift of someone in a
higher grade, there’s a pay increase involved for that shift,
Peterson explained.
All of these things factor in to the large amount of overtime
for 2005. Last year, the overtime budget for the fire department
was 32 percent over the predicted amount.
“That’s one of those things you really wish you had a crystal
ball for,” Shay said.
“You try to use your past history. That’s what you do with your
entire budget,” Peterson said. Things like heating costs and
possible breakdowns of vehicles cannot be estimated in advance.
“Those are all crap shoots.”
To get some idea of what to budget, Peterson explained he goes
back three years and compares the history of what has been expended
in the past.
The firefighters contract was entered into on March 23, 2004,
and continues through Dec. 31, 2008. The city and union have
recently entered into a contract re-opener for negotiations on
possible pension benefit enhancements.
Under the current contract, firefighters will be given four
vacation days after six months of employment; seven days after a
year; eight days after four years; nine days after six years; 10
days after nine years; 11 days after 13 years; 12 days after 15
years; 13 days after 17 years; 14 days after 19 years; 15 days
after 21 years; and 16 days after 23 years.
One vacation day equals one 24-hour work day.
Each member of the bargaining unit is eligible for 11 working
days sick leave each calendar year as necessitated by illness, the
contract states. Sick leave can accumulate for a maximum of seven
years or 77 days. All members with 20 years or more of service can
accumulate 88 days of leave.
Any sick days lost at the end of a year because of a maximum
accumulation will be added to a “sick bank” maintained by the fire
chief that can be drawn from by an employee with a serious
illness.
Firefighter information tough to come by
Is it illegal to distribute a list of the salaries and overtime
of Bradford City firefighters? The city clerk apparently thinks
so.
City Councilman Tom Riel had asked at city hall to have a list
prepared of firefighters’ salaries and gross wages for 2005.
Surprised at what he saw, particularly with pay for overtime, Riel
then brought the list to The Era and showed it to other city
taxpayers.
That was two weeks ago and the intervening time has been spotted
with conflict over the public’s right to know and the legality of
an elected official distributing information prepared for him.
City Clerk John Peterson has chastised Riel for distributing the
list, telling him it was “illegal” for him to do so. Peterson also
told The Era that it was illegal for Riel to distribute the list,
and that The Era had the information “illegally.”
The list of the year-end wages of the firemen was created for
Riel only – and not for distribution, Peterson said. The list is
not something that could be requested through the Right To Know Act
because it had not previously existed, and was not to be seen by
the public, he said.
Riel, however, said he discussed the matter with city solicitor
Mark Hollenbeck and was told there was nothing illegal about his
actions.
“I discussed that list with Mr. Hollenbeck on more than one
occasion. He assured me it was not illegal,” Riel said. “Just last
Friday I had discussed with him that I had done nothing
illegal.
“It’s public employees who are paid with taxpayers’ money,” Riel
said. “I believe everyone has a right to know how much they are
being paid.”
Further, when contacted for clarification and explanation of the
information, Fire Chief Bill McCormack refused to answer questions
about the department for this story, referring all questions to
Peterson.
McCormack accused The Era of unfairly targeting the fire
department for scrutiny at the behest of Riel. McCormack was told
that The Era intends to pursue stories on other city departments as
well. He said he would speak only when stories on all departments
were done instead of just on the fire department.
Riel, who campaigned with the promise to share more information
with the public, came to The Era in mid-January with questions
about what he thought was a high amount of overtime in the city’s
fire department for the month of December.
Riel had requested documents pertaining to the firefighters’
salaries and their gross wages for 2005, and had provided that
information to The Era along with the December monthly reports for
the fire and ambulance activities.
The Era then submitted Right To Know requests for monthly
reports for the remainder of 2005.
Using figures from these reports, The Era compiled a list of
questions regarding what makes up overtime in the department and
why overtime was 32 percent over-budget for the year 2005.
While McCormack refused to participate, Peterson and Councilman
Tom Shay, who oversees the department on City Council, agreed to
answer questions about the fire department.
The City of Bradford is a Third Class City – one of 53 in the
state of Pennsylvania.
According to the state Department of Community and Economic
Development, in 2004, out of a total of 2,430 fire departments in
the state, there were 23 fully paid departments, and 73 where it is
split between paid and volunteer service.
In Bradford, there are 20 paid firefighters. Two men are
employed as code enforcement officers, working a 40-hour week. The
remaining 18 men work 56-hour-weeks.
The fire chief is the only salaried employee.
Last year, the city fire department and city council approached
other area municipalities about contributing toward ambulance
service provided by the city for outlying areas. Months of
discussions with local governments about paying for the ambulance
service followed.
During that time, The Era had a difficult time obtaining any
clear information about the city fire department, as information
provided came without explanation.
Most of the municipalities have agreed to continue with the city
service.
