Beaumont, Texas, City Officials Won't Reimburse Firefighters for Classes
Posted on: Tuesday, 30 August 2005, 12:00 CDT
Aug. 29--Beaumont firefighters claim city officials are reneging on a pledge to pay for courses they completed at the Lamar Institute of Technology.
Two firefighters took classes at the institute last spring to improve job-related skills, but the city has refused to reimburse them, said Tommy May, spokesman for Beaumont Professional Firefighters.
Now, each man is out about $1,000, despite getting preliminary approval for the courses from Fire Chief Micky Bertrand, May said.
In its labor contract with the fire union, the city agreed to reimburse firefighters who successfully completed a job-related class.
With the department's thin training budget, the outside classes are crucial, May said.
However, City Manager Kyle Hayes said the courses the firefighters took, which included English, art appreciation and philosophy, are not related to their jobs and taxpayers should not be saddled with the bill.
While Bertrand approved such expenditures in the past, Hayes said he reined in the reimbursements when the matter was brought to his attention last month.
The department will continue to pay for firefighters to take classes directly related to their jobs, Hayes said.
The city paid for four firefighters to attend a seminar last week, and has budgeted $19,500 for the department's travel and training for the upcoming year, Hayes said.
Beaumont's 2006 budget includes a 3.5 percent pay raise for firefighters.
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Source: The Beaumont Enterprise
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