JAY — Selectpersons voted unanimously Monday to approve a new base pay scale for firefighters for 2019 and 2020, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said Tuesday.

“We have analyzed these increases based on last year’s payroll hours and will be able to cover the increases within the current budget without increasing the payroll line,” LaFreniere said.

The fire chief’s base pay is now $14 an hour in addition to an annual stipend of $8,500. In 2020, it will rise to $15 an hour.

The deputy chief’s base hourly wage is $13.75, and will be $14.75 in 2020. He will receive an annual $5,000 stipend.

Other officers’ and firefighters’ hourly base wages in 2019 and 2020, respectively, are: assistant chief, $13.50, $14.50; captain, $13, $14; lieutenant, $12.75, $13.75; Hot Shot/junior and probationary firefighters, $11, $12; and firefighter, $11.25, $12.25.

Annual stipends for remaining officers are: assistant chief/emergency management director, $2,500; captain, $1,500; and emergency medical services captain and lieutenants, $750, according to information from LaFreniere.

Selectmen reviewed pay scales for firefighters in area towns when considering the increases, she said.

Pay rates approved in 2015 became somewhat irrelevant when voters in 2016 approved raising the minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $9 beginning in 2017, $10 beginning in 2018, $11 in 2019, and $12 in 2020.

Besides the hourly base rate, firefighters also receive an additional 25 to 50 cents an hour for each of the six training certifications they earned. 

Fire Department officers also receive an annual stipend, in addition to the hourly wage and training certification pay.

Compensation for training certifications and officer stipends are unchanged, LaFreniere.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net