Harrison Township adopts fire hiring policy, issues bonds

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Facing a shortage of firefighters and EMTs, the Harrison Township Board of Trustees approved a new student hiring program proposed by the Harrison Township Fire Department at the Aug. 12 board meeting.

Under the new policy, the Fire Department will be allowed to hire student paramedics prior to them passing their certification courses. Those hired under this policy would not be counted as staff until they pass the national paramedic exam and obtain a paramedic license from the state.

Students hired are also required to attempt the exam three times in a three-month period. If the student does not pass the exam within the three month/three attempt period, they will be asked to resign or be fired.

The starting annual salary for student hires is $50,000. Hires from the program are still subject to the normal probationary period as all other new firefighters.

“The idea here is that when we have a student that comes through and does the ride-alongs, we would really like to have the opportunity to hire that student prior to them being able to count towards staffing,” Township Supervisor Ken Verkest said. “There’s a couple of reasons why. One is that if you get a young person and you like them, you want to scoop them up before somebody else gets them. Number two is … if we can hire a firefighter and we have a student that could be days or weeks away, bringing them on at the same time and going through the training process is a lot more efficient for a department of our size.”

Trustees also approved the hiring of Devin Murray as the township’s newest firefighter, pending a background check and successful health exams. Murray was previously with the Livonia Fire Department and was a ride-along student with the Harrison Township Fire Department.

 

Special assessment bonds
In February, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution signaling its intent to issue bonds for the Cloverleaf Street and North Blom Drive special assessment district. Now, six months to the day out from the intent resolution, the board passed a resolution to issue the bonds.

“The board adopted resolution No. 5 earlier this year and we thought we may have been able to get this project moving along a little quicker, depending on timing,” Township Clerk Adam Wit said. “But because of some of the variability with pricing and that kind of stuff, we’re just now getting into bonding.”

The township will issue $701,041 in bonds under the name “Harrison Charter Township Capital Improvement Bond(s), Series 2024B.” Bonds will bear interest at a maximum rate of 6% per year. Interest will begin accruing on Oct. 1, 2024. The original estimated cost of the road paving project was $645,041 in January 2024.