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Page 16 - Idyllwild Town Crier, January 12, 2006
Idyllwild Fire considers work schedule change
By J.P. Crumrine
Assistant Editor
The Idyllwild Fire Protection
District (IFPD) commission
agreed to ask Steve
Kunkle, IFPD fire chief, to
meet with the Idyllwild Career
Firefighters (ICF) to
discuss its new work schedule
proposal.
At the last meeting in
November — the December
meeting was delayed to last
week — the ICF asked the
commission to meet and
OK a change to the work
schedule.
Currently, the six career
firefighters work a “modified
Kelly” schedule — 24-hour
work days alternate, one on,
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next off, one on until 72
hours are worked. Then the
firefighter has four days off.
The group requested the
commission to consider two
consecutive work days followed
by the four off days.
The total work days and
hours per month and year
do not change, according to
Jack Peckham, ICF president.
Other districts in the region
use the shift schedule and
are pleased with the results,
he said.
The commission approved
IFPD Vice President George
Kretsinger’s motion to appoint
Kunkle as its representative
to discuss the proposed
work schedule change. After
discussion, the commission
voted 3-1, with Commissioner
Mike Lande objecting and
Commissioner Lloyd Vaught
absent, to adopt Kretsinger’s
motion.
Lande objected for several
reasons. One of his principal
concerns was reopening the
contract almost 18 months
prior to its expiration.
“It’s a terrible precedent
to change a labor contract
in the middle,” he argued.
“It shouldn’t be discussed
until July 2007. We’re only
six months into a two-year
contract.”
But Kretsinger disagreed.
He replied that the only
change being considered
would be the days the firefighters
come to work. Nothing
will change the total
hours or months worked or
the package’s total compensation.
The majority of the commission
preferred to allow the
chief to negotiate the work
schedule and are willing to
accept his decision.
During the debate, he
indicated he would probably
agree to the ICF’s proposal as
long as it was initially viewed
as an experiment that could
be terminated.
However, he said it is
easier to accept because of the
IFPD workload. “I would be
opposed if we were a larger
station, say 17 to 20 calls per
day. Then we’d need the rest
between shifts,” he shared
with the commission. “But
with 1.8 calls per day this
year, it’s not horrible even
if it goes up to 1.9. This
department just doesn’t have
significant call volume. I can’t
find a problem with this.”
Kretsinger was adamant
that the change proceed as
a trial and asked the chief to
monitor the results and particularly
the use of overtime.
Peckham concurred that the
work schedule should be
introduced on a trial basis.
“We’re happy with the decison
and willing to abide with
the results,” he added.
“I don’t want it to impact
the district — fiscally or
operationally,” stressed Glen
McWilliams, IFPD president.
“Let the chief decide.”
In other commission business,
Treasurer Craig Coopersmith
replied to an audit
report from the State’s Public
Employees Retirement System
(PERS). The controversy
is over the credit of payments
IFPD made that CalPERS has
not recognized for several
years although the district
has the canceled checks.
“The credits have not
happened. We’ve sent the
money,” Kunkle said. “The
auditor said ‘OK,’ but the
report didn’t reflect those
opinions.”
This question over the
payment credits has been
ongoing for several years
and CalPERS has not yet
responded to Coopersmith’s
letter.
In other business, the commission
discussed the need
to approve checks written
during the month. This is
a standard action for public
bodies, but several IFPD
members asked, “Why are we
doing this and what happens
if we say ‘No’”
Their questions arose because
the bills had already
been paid and the checks
issued. McWilliams explained
that several years ago, the
commission had to sign all
the checks at the meeting.
This action item was remnant
of that past procedure.
“You’re approving the expenditure
of public funds,”
responded Kunkle. “Perhaps
it would be more accurate
to replace ‘approval’ with ‘acknowledgment.’
This is your
acknowledgment to the public
that you’re accountable.”
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