NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council held its organizational meeting for 2023 on Tuesday.
The council went back to regular order in electing Jon Richardson Mayor, as he was Vice-Mayor in 2022 and Greg Fast was elected Vice-Mayor for 2023.
The city also gave a raise to its firefighters after finding out that Wichita would be hiring a large number of firefighters and gave their firefighters a raise, so that Hutchinson can remain competitive.
"It upwardly adjusts the bottom of the previously approved 2023 Firefighter pay range by 11.8% (from $14.77 to $16.51) and would start at the beginning of the 2023 payroll year, which began on Dec. 18," said HR Director Tom Sanders. "The second addition was a new section E. Other Adjustments to Base, which provides additional base pay adjustments for those employees that have completed a minimum of two (2) years of continuous service. The Fire Captain will go up $0.343 per hour (not tied to length of service)."
"Fire Fighter & Fire Driver will go up $.0686 per hour ($200 annualized) per full year of service. That will also go into effect the first of the payroll year."
Also approved is the 2023 street maintenance plan.
In 2021, the city was able to start the 8 year rotation program so that every street will receive a seal every 8 years. The downtown side streets have not been treated since the mid 1990s.
In 2023, they will be receiving a scrub seal and then coated with a mastic surface treatment, similar to the Sports Arena parking lot.
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