Sparta Alderman Wants To Explore Paying Volunteer Firefighters

A Sparta Alderman Robert Officer wants to explore the possibility of paying volunteer firefighters to relieve overtime hours.

Mayor Jerry Lowery said he would like to see the option explored.

“I think that is a good thing to look at,” Lowery said. “If we’re paying X number of dollars in overtime, why not look at that and see if we can break even and take the load off of some people.”

Officer asked Fire Chief Kirk Young about the feasibility at Thursday night Board meeting. Young said it is something the department has done in the past when short-staffed.

“We do this from time to time in bad weather,” Young said. “We have some of the volunteers sit in. We have ways to implement that.”

Young said he has been working on a plan with City Administrator Brad Hennessee, but it is not ready to present to the Board.

In other business, Lowery ended the meeting with an update about sanitation. Lowery said he met with White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson last week. Lowery said he should have more answers as to how long the landfill will not take city trash for the Board in the future.

Lowery said on the city’s side, it is still pursuing other options.