Oil City Council Approves Steps to Hire New Firefighter/Paramedic

| April 13, 2018

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – The Oil City Council took steps to hire a new firefighter/paramedic through the civil service process following a request from fire chief Mark Hicks at Thursday’s council meeting.

Hicks said he was making the request to replace Jayson Hoovler, who recently left the department.

“His leaving took us down to 13 full-time people,” Hicks said. “I understand where the finances are and that we were trying to get to 12. But, to do that we were going to use part-timers to fill in the overtime that the full-timers were getting. Right now, we only have two part-timers, and one of them just told me today he may be leaving. If I had a full bank of part-timers, it may be different.”

Hicks said the difference between a full-time firefighter taking overtime and a part-timer firefighter filling in those hours is $15.50 per hour – $29.00 per hour for overtime and $13.50 per hour for part-time help.

But, while he is ready to take some part-time candidates to civil service, it could be eight to 12 months before they are ready to actually fight fires in Oil City.

“Once they get approved, they will have to take their physiological exams, have their background checks, and have in-house training,” Hicks said. “While a lot of them are already firefighters, they aren’t fighting the types of fires we are in Oil City where we have houses next to each other and not fields apart. We don’t fight barn fires. We may be a small city, but it’s still a city, and we have the risks that come with the city.”

Hicks is hoping through the civil service process that one of his current part-time firefighters and paramedics, Sam McSparren, will end up with the job.

“Sam is very gifted and qualified in many areas,” Hicks said. “He brings a lot to the table that we may need down the road.”

Hicks said staffing could change in the near future within the department with two firefighters eligible to retire with the next year and two more in 2022.

City Manager Mark Schroyer said he agreed with Hicks that hiring a full-time firefighter right now would be in the city’s best interest, and the council agreed.

“I’m on-board because I have a high regard for one of the potential candidates,” Schroyer said.

Councilman Ron Gustafson said the council was all in agreement that McSparren makes a good candidate.

The process will go through civil service and will be more a firefighter/paramedic.

“It still goes through civil service,” Hicks said. “Anyone can apply, but it is going to be specifically for a paramedic.”

FAIR HOUSING RESOLUTION PASSED

The council passed an updated Fair Housing Resolution that states that the city, within available resources, will assist all persons who feel that they have been discriminated against because of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, familial status, handicap, age, ancestry and use of guide or support animals because of blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals to seek equity under federal and state laws by filing a complaint with the local Fair Housing Officer, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, whichever is chosen by the person filing the complaint.

The resolution also appointed Kathy Amos, Director of Community Development, as the local Fair Housing Officer.

“It’s new language we got at our conference,” Amos said of the resolution.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business the council:

  • Approved the yearly water material bid at a cost of $54,995.47, which was done through COSTARS program.
  • Authorized the ending of the probationary periods for police officers Codie Webster and Tom Lawton, who have both been on the job for a little over a year now.
  • Accepted a request from the Venango Vipers for use of the Mitchell Fields and from Vicky London for use of Mitchell Fields and Hasson Fields for softball.
  • Approved the annual Venango Fatherhood Initiative Soapbox Derby to be held on Central Avenue July 14.
  • Approved the use of the Hasson Park Playground, the East End Playground, the playground on Innis Street and the Land of Laughter Playground of Harriott Avenue (pending completion) for the YWCA’s Samuel Justice Summer Playground Program. The program will take place from 9 a.m. to Noon Mondays through Fridays June 11 through July 27. In addition, on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. there will be craft days at the YWCA and Hasson Park.
  • Appointed Kathy Kropp-Schiller to the Shade Tree Commission
  • Accepted the resignation of David Mayer from the Planning Commission and Dan and Patty Feroz from the Oil City Arts Council.
  • Was informed by mayor Bill Moon that the Petrolia Lodge 363 has donated $500 to the Land of Laughter Playground project on Harriot Avenue.
  • Heard from Kathy Bailey of the Main Street Program that the Community Cleanup Day will be held April 18, that the annual Main Street Program meeting will be April 17 and that the Oil City Uncorked Wine Walk featuring 13 wineries and 11 vendors will be held April 27.

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