By Staff
SEEKING MORE PAY Meridian firefighters David Fason, left, and Jay Crane addressed the city council Tuesday night on behalf of pay raises for rank-and-file firefighters. Council members had no immediate reaction. Photo by Carisa McCain / The Meridian Star
By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
March 20, 2002
In another turn of a salary carousel, Meridian Fire Chief Bunky Partridge's pay was partially restored Tuesday nearly a month after Mayor John Robert Smith rescinded an $8,000 pay raise previously awarded.
The city council approved a $5,650 raise for Partridge that puts his pay on par with Police Chief Benny DuBose at $60,000 a year. Partridge was one of four city department heads who received raises as a result of a restructuring of city departments, according to Chief Administrative Officer Ken Storms.
Smith said last month Partridge's so-called "temporary" October pay raise was rescinded because the fire chief was also being paid by a regional safety training center the "Three I Corp."  for additional duties. In the latest move, Partridge's city pay will increase from $54,350 to $60,000.
After a group of Meridian firefighters again complained to the council during the meeting about low pay, the vice president of the firefighters' union said he was satisfied with the explanation he got from Storms about the raises.
David Fason said Storms approached him after the meeting and asked him if he wanted an explanation for the raises.
But, Fason said, he still would like to see firefighters receive more consideration for future raises.