Four battalion chiefs with the Carson City Fire Department will get a raise, following a recommendation from their bargaining unit and the Carson City manager.
The Board of Supervisors granted the four battalion chiefs a raise after reviewing a recommendation from City Manager Linda Ritter which said their salaries were 15 percent below battalion chiefs' salaries in five surrounding jurisdictions.
The Carson City Fire Department Classified Chief Officers Association compared battalion chiefs' salaries with salaries in Washoe County, Reno, North Lake Tahoe, Tahoe/Douglas and Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
It found that the lowest battalion chief salary of those jurisdictions - $80,000 in Sparks - was still about $4,000 above the Carson City battalion chief salary of $76,418.
Each of the four employees will get approximately $11,000 more per year. The total $45,850 required for the four salary increases will come out of the city's general fund.
That brings the battalion chiefs' average salary up to $87,880, a higher salary than Truckee-Meadows, Reno and Sparks fire districts, but still lower than Tahoe/Douglas and North Lake Tahoe departments.
The average salary for a North Lake Tahoe battalion chief is $115,000. The average for all jurisdictions is $90,457.
Carson City Battalion Chief Stacey Giomi said the collective bargaining agreement between the association and city calls for a "re-opener" to negotiate a salary increase based on the five surrounding jurisdictions.
The evaluations do not occur annually, he said, but every several years.
"It's built into the agreement to keep our salaries competitive so we can recruit the best and the brightest," Giomi said.
Ritter appointed Giomi as Carson City fire chief. He begins his position Jan. 5 and will not benefit from the increase.
Contact reporter Robyn Moormeister at rmoormeister@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
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