SoWal Fire Board

Another Bunch of out of touch elected officials.

At the Dec. 3 South Walton Fire District Fire Board meeting, Fire Commissioner Brian Christenson suggested using money still in the budget to recognize and reward full-time employees.

The $19,899.49 was budgeted in 2007 for a new employee that won’t be hired until next year.

Christenson suggested a $200 Christmas bonus, for a total of $19,800.

In the past, the fire district has not given holiday bonuses. Last year, each employee received a $25 gift certificate in lieu of the annual Christmas party.

“Firefighters do everything to make sure no one is left out during the holidays,” Commissioner Donna Crawford said. “They are paid well, but they are still civil service and don’t get paid enough. I would like to see the firefighters and staff have a nice Christmas.”

Fire Commissioner Jack Abbit, who had worked with the firefighters during contract negotiations, expressed concern that the bonuses might set a precedent.

Fire board attorney Allan Ramey suggested the board could be creating a problem and advised the fire chief to run it by the labor attorneys. He also said when the Walton County Taxpayers Association, a local watchdog group, look at this, they might ask, “Are you serving the people who elected us?”

Abbit advised the board to step back and do something less. He agreed with Ramey “that the Taxpayers Association might come in and say we gave this money away.”

Although Commissioner Mike Stange said he would love to give a $200 bonus, that was definitely setting a precedent. He suggested a $100 gift certificate.

Fire Chief Rick Talbert said whether it was a $25 gift certificate or the suggested $100, it was all in the delivery. He asked the board’s permission to draft a letter that explained where the money came from.

The motion to give a $100 gift certificate to all annual full-time employees as an end of year holiday gift was unanimously approved, subject to the approval of the labor attorneys.