Guest guest Posted December 28, 2001 Report Share Posted December 28, 2001 TRN Online: News -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +Classifieds place an ad all announcements computers electronics employment farm/garden finance games merchandise public notices pets/supplies real estate-sales real estate-rentals services plus transportation texas4u News local regional national politics washington world archives Business local news business news consumer issues personal finance Entertainment celebrities clubs events museums movies movie listings music radio station guide television tvlistings Sports local sports sound off h.s. football h.s. soccer h.s. basketball columnists pro basketball nl baseball al baseball auto racing golf soccer hunting/fishing Opinions at a glance our opinions letters to the editor local columnists politically unstable Obituaries at a glance Community at a glance activities business churches education government miscellaneous organizations sports travel Features autos family fashion fitness food/nutrition gardening health home religion science/techno travel Contact us forms at a glance administration advertising business circulation editorial new media production technology search: Wichita Falls Survivor Click Here Now! Current Lake Levels TRN Radio, Get your groove back! Shop locally online at ShopWF.com! Recipes Online - Click here for a Taste of Today! TRNautomall-Search OnLine for your next vehicle! Weddings and Anniversaries -------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP Money Wire AP Photo Week AP Faith AP Travel Today in History from the AP L O C A L N E W S Fri, December 28, 2001 Firefighters don't want raise vote Mayors comments made prematurely, association says Lynda Stringer, , , Times Record News Wichita Falls firefighters are not looking to put a raise request before voters in May even though Mayor Jerry Lueck has said he plans to do just that. Lueck said he intends to put the issue on the May ballot to get the firefighters a raise, but the Wichita Falls Professional Firefighters Association said Thursday his comments were made prematurely. The group's president, Lt. Nick Hillner, said Thursday, " The bottom line is, we don't have any plans yet. " Hillner and Bobby Whiteley, the group's legislative director, said they hadn't even talked to the mayor before he announced his plans " out of left field " last week, and they wondered what kind of support he had among the council members. Whiteley said when he talked to the mayor, Lueck claimed to have the support of three council members and just needed one more to put it on the ballot. " But, when I talked to the council members, no one had a clue what he was talking about, " Whiteley said. " (The mayor) doesn't even know what we want, he hadn't even asked us what our issues are. He came from left field and doesn't have the support of the council. " Lueck could not be reached for comment Thursday. Council member Bill Altman said he's talked to all but two members of the council and those he spoke with were not aware of the mayor's intentions. Whiteley said he didn't get a sense from his conversations with council members that the association would have their support. " The council is a non-factor as far as we're concerned, " he said. " I feel the council wants us to take it to the people for a vote. They don't want to take the heat if taxes go up. " Altman said he would not support putting the issue on the ballot. " Generally absent a law requiring us to call a special election or absent a petition process, I'm elected to vote to represent my district, " he said. " I'm not saying I would never do it, but I can't think of why I would. " The association hasn't given up on pursuing a raise; they just aren't interested in it going on a May ballot already crowded with the city council and mayor elections. " The May election is going to be a rock fight, " Whiteley said. " We don't want to be anywhere close because we feel we have a positive image in town. " Hillner said the group would wait for the outcome of the school bond election in February and the May city elections. " We'll also look at the economy, " he said. " We don't want to be a burden on taxpayers. " If they were to be on the ballot in May, Whiteley said, the association would want to write the language. What the firefighters want is salaries equal to other firefighters in cities the size of Wichita Falls. The group is in the process of gathering information on firefighter salaries, but Whiteley estimated Wichita Falls firefighters' salaries are 9 to 18 percent behind the average in all ranks. The battalion chief falls behind even farther at about 20 percent, he said. Hillner said the group is not dissatisfied with City Manager Jim Berzina's recent 9.5 percent raise because " that's the same thing we've been trying to get, in line with cities our size, " he said. The last time the group had a referendum on raises in 1994 it cost them $20,000 for their campaign. They received $250 a month across-the-board. It would cost about $25,000 if they went through the process again, Hillner said. Staff Writer Lynda Stringer can be reached at or by e-mail at stringerl@.... -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- © The E.W. Scripps Co. E-mail the Webmaster at webmaster@... Users of this site are subject to our User Agreement. Please read it. Times Record News Wichita Falls, Texas 55°F OVERCAST -------------------------------------------------------------------- Game Day Heroes TRN Travel CuteCritters.com Reunion Listings Lueck in the News TX Lottery Results Newspapers in Education How Now Joe Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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