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Vienna City Council expands vaccination incentive to firefighters

By James Dobbs 4 min read

VIENNA -- Vienna City Council discussed a resolution to the Vaccination Incentive Program to include the Vienna volunteer fire department at its meeting Wednesday evening.

Council member Jim Leach was absent from the meeting.

On Oct. 14, council passed a Vaccination Incentive Program to offer city employees a one-time payment of $1,000 to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations. In the previous council meeting, Council member Roger Bibbee asked that this program be offered to Vienna's volunteer firefighters. A resolution was placed on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting to expand the program to the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.

Council member Kim Williams had multiple concerns about the resolution. Williams researched the topic, and found that Charleston, Beckley and Moundsville implemented a similar program for city employees. These programs paid city employees $500 for vaccinations, except Charleston which paid $750. Williams thought the payment should be decreased from $1,000 to $500. She said the original intent of the program was to create a safer work environment for city employees, and that the volunteer fire department is a volunteer position, and its members aren't coming in to work an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. job like the regular city employees.

"But that doesn't mean that their service doesn't have value, because it has great value to the city," said Williams.

Another concern was that the funding did not come from the American Rescue Plan, similar to the other cities that implemented this program, and that there were fire department employees who were also considered city employees.

Williams made an amendment to enact the changes she spoke about. The amendment failed.

"These firefighters that we have, they're moms, they're dads, they're husbands, sons, daughters, and they're employees, they are somebody's employee, and they too were very much on the front line in the height of COVID and remain there today…," said Bibbee.

He said the city should provide the best plan and incentive for the firefighters to keep them, their families, and the city safe.

City Attorney Russ Skogstad suggested an amendment be made to the resolution, this included that any firefighter who has participated in the city incentive program would not be eligible for the Vienna fire department incentive program.

Bibbee made an amendment that council make the change to the resolution with the language that Skogstad suggested. The amendment passed. The resolution passed as amended, four to one, with Williams dissenting.

Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer discussed a probationary period bonus for officers. The city offers a bonus of $2,500 to already certified officers in the state of West Virginia, after a one-year probationary period. Pifer asked that council match the city of Parkersburg's bonus, which is set at $10,000. Council member Tom Azinger asked for this to be put on the agenda for the next council meeting.

Jeanne Peters, public forum speaker, said she uses the city parks everyday and was startled when the entrance of McDonough Park was blocked on Wednesday morning. She asked that a camera system be put in place as a deterrent and to record what happens, she said that if there is a camera system in place and it is not working, that it be fixed.

"I'd love to know that because I know a lot of people are very concerned that our parks are not very safe," said Peters, wondering if there is a working camera system in place.

The regular council meeting scheduled for Nov. 25 has been canceled due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The next regular council session is scheduled for Dec. 9, at 6 p.m.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com

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