Wellington North Council is now looking at hiring a full-time fire chief for its recently amalgamated fire service.
Council had originally considered hiring a contract, part-time fire chief to work about 25 hours per week at a pay rate of between $30,000 and $55,000 annually.
After consultation with fire chiefs in Centre Wellington and Minto, the township’s administration committee recommended hiring a full-time chief at a cost of between $55,700 and $75,800. Council agreed with the recommendation at its Oct. 29 meeting.
Mayor Ray Tout said the decision to hire a full-time chief was made to ensure the township’s fire service has a chief in place to handle fire calls full time. Otherwise, according to the mayor, a part-time chief would have a second job which meant the chief wouldn’t always be available to head up calls.
The search for a full-time chief is expected to start immediately.
Walking trail
Wellington North’s Ward 3 county councillor Gary Williamson warned council of potential pitfalls in an Active Transportation master plan approved in principle by county council.
Williamson met with council Oct. 29 and presented his regular update of county issues, including the $24-million master plan for 1,000 kilometres of off-road and on-road biking, walking and hiking trails the county is considering.
The plan is a long-term strategy to create a series of pedestrian and cycling trails throughout the county over the next 20 years.
If finally approved by the county its share would be about $9.4 million with the lower tier municipalities picking up the remainder of the cost, Williamson said.
“It’s important to have a plan,” Williamson acknowledged.
He urged councillors to follow the development of the plan to learn how much it might cost the township down the road.
