Rock Island Today

City of East Moline Committee-of-the-Whole met Aug. 1.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

ROLL CALL

Mayor Freeman called the meeting to order and directed City Clerk Wanda Roberts-Bontz to call the roll. The following Alderpersons were present: Kenneth Porter, Gary Almblade, Nancy Mulcahey, Rhea Oakes, Maria Tapia and Jose Rico. Absent: Jayne O’Brien 7:12 p.m.

ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS TO AGENDA

None.

REPLACEMENT FIREFIGHTERS (Chief DeFrance, EMFD) The Fire Department is four (4) firefighters short of the required thirty-four (34) shift personnel. This is a result of the temporary staffing reduction negotiated for budget purposes. As part of the negotiations the City is to replace two (2) of the four (4) positions before the Fall 2022 Fire Academy session which begins September 12th, 1022. The remaining two (2) positions must be replaced before the Spring 2023 Fire Academy session.

Most recently I have been notified of two retirements that will take place this fall. This brings the total number of personnel needed to Six (6).

Given the nationwide difficulty in recruiting qualified public safety employees, I strongly recommend the City move to hire the six (6) most qualified candidates from our current successor eligibility list maintained and created by the East Moline Fire & Police Commission.

As further example of the recruiting problem; in April of 2022 the Council passed Resolution #22-26 authorizing the Fire Department to fill the first two (2) vacancies in time for an extra Spring Fire Academy session. Those hires were not made as the qualifying applicants from our list had already been hired by other Fire Departments. Those two (2) previously approved hires are now included as part of the six total (6) new hires I am requesting.

Fire Academy seats and Psychological Testing appointments have been reserved pending approval.

FINANCIAL:

This is a budgeted item.

Line Item# Title: Salaries

Amount Budgeted: See Attached Worksheet

Actual Cost: See Attached Worksheet

Under/(Over): See Attached Worksheet

Funding Sources: General Fund Fire Department Salaries

Departments: Fire

This is not a CIP.

RECOMMENDATION:

Direct the East Moline Fire & Police Commission to select and hire six (6) qualified candidates for the Fire Department from the firefighter eligibility list(s).

A motion was made by Alderperson Porter, seconded by Alderperson Oakes to concur with the recommendation as presented. Upon roll call the following voted in favor: Mulcahey, Oakes, Tapia, Rico, Porter, and Almblade. Motion carried.

ADJOURMENT:

A motion was made by Alderperson Oakes, seconded by Alderperson O’Brien to adjourn the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. Upon roll call the following voted in favor: Mulcahey, Oakes, Tapia, Rico, Porter, and Almblade. Motion carried. 7:18 p.m.

https://www.eastmoline.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08012022-825