Trying to Overcome Overtime Challenges in Tiverton

I’ve got a post up on Tiverton Fact Check giving some of the details and background for a press release just put out by the town administrator making (dare I say) unilateral changes to the overtime practices of the fire department.  The bottom line is that the town cannot function with a department that runs through its overtime budget in roughly half of a fiscal year.

The change of minimum manning is one thing that folks in other cities and towns might recognize as a regular fight, but some of the administrator’s changes are of the sort that would make the average Rhode Islander say, “Huh? That’s how they did things before?”

  • Tiverton will now follow the practice of not granting overtime until (get this) firefighters have actually worked their entire regular schedule (with vacation and sick time not included).
  • Fire marshal duties, like inspecting newly installed fire alarms and reviewing plans for those alarms, will no longer be done as overtime, but will be done during regular shifts, and if there’s an emergency, the firefighter doing the work will put it aside, address the emergency, and then return to the marshal work.

I’ve gotten so used to being outraged by the practices of government at all levels, but especially the state and local levels in Rhode Island, that it’s difficult to know what even deserves to be reported, anymore.  It doesn’t help that so few people seem to pay attention or do anything beyond shake their heads and say, “This place is crazy.”

Of course, one reason this press release is worth highlighting is that some of the local politicians who originally voted for some of the offending provisions (like the minimum manning number) aren’t exactly taking credit for doing so, these days.  Rather, they’re throwing around distracting lies about bond rates and non-existent deficits.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in The Ocean State Current, including text, graphics, images, and information are solely those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the views and opinions of The Current, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity, or its members or staff. The Current cannot be held responsible for information posted or provided by third-party sources. Readers are encouraged to fact check any information on this web site with other sources.

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