More boots on the ground: Parker officials mull eliminating paid fire chief position

PARKER — One Bay County city is exploring the possibility that less is more when it comes to fire chiefs.

Parker is still putting out the flames of the previous fire chief's resignation as officials discuss whether to keep the position. 

Matthew Jenson, who was appointed fire chief in July 2021 by the City Council, resigned earlier this month, citing the $50,000 salary.

By the way, subscribers:Parker is starting to boom again. Here's what's coming as Mayor Kelly completes first year

Photos:East Bay Flats luxury apartments in Parker start to take shape

Mayor Andrew Kelly was Parker's fire chief for 27 years before retiring in July 2020 and being elected mayor in April of last year. He said the city's department was formed in 1955, about a dozen years before the city received its charter. 

The city's fire department is a volunteer department, like 85% of departments throughout the state. It has 17 volunteers and three paid firefighters. 

Kelly described a hectic situation Parker officials have had with fire chiefs in the past two years.

"We hire a paid fire chief (Shawn Pergande) who goes out on medical leave and then the volunteer fire chief again runs the department for several months," Kelly said. "We hire (another) paid fire chief (Jenson) and he is not happy with the salary and he goes out and the volunteer fire chief is running the city again."

During Tuesday's council meeting, Kelly said city officials discussed the possibility of eliminating the position to bring on another paid firefighter.

He said a city ordinance allows for the fire chief to be a regular paid firefighter, and allows for an additional hire. With Parker's recent growth, Kelly said he supports such a move.

"The members of the fire department, the home, the building, the equipment, everything. The corporation no longer wants another paid fire chief, they want that position to become a paid firefighter," Kelly said. "We'll have two paid firefighters in the daytime. And then the volunteers will still do what they always do, but we'll have two regular paid firefighters because Parker is starting to grow bigger."

With new apartment complexes near Tyndall Air Force Base and new businesses springing up, Kelly said the fire department needs another paid firefighter on duty Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"That's their desire, and it's cheaper than hiring another paid fire chief," Kelly said. "And the volunteer fire chief assures me that between him and the board of directors, they can run the fire department like they have since 1955 and that nothing's going to change. I would not support this if I didn't think it would be true."

Officials will continue the discussion and make a decision at a council meeting in the coming months, Kelly said.