A pair of new first responders were added to the roster of the Bellefontaine Fire Department during a Tuesday, Dec. 10, regular meeting of the city council.
Jonathan Downing and Logan Searcy were sworn in by Mayor David Crissman as Bellefontaine’s newest firefighters prior to the council completing its agenda Tuesday. Downing and Searcy are expected to take their positions with the BFD after the first of the year.
With the addition of firefighters Downing and Searcy, the BFD is now considered to be fully staffed, a situation that Fire Chief Brian Wilson said was a long time coming.
Council on Tuesday also unanimously approved two new collective bargaining agreements with the fire and police unions. Agreements were approved between the city and the International Association of Fire Fighters for fire safety services, as well as the second between the city and the Ohio Patrolman’s Benevolent Association for police and safety services. Both agreements are scheduled to run through the end of 2027.
Also approved at Tuesday’s meeting were ordinances establishing the compensation for the Bellefontaine Municipal Court Judge, as well as compensation for the president of council, council members, clerk of council, mayor, law director and city auditor. Three other ordinances also set the hourly compensation for supervisory, service and clerical employees of the city.
The council also authorized for the Bellefontaine Police Department to apply for a $5,000 grant from the United Way of Logan County for community outreach programs, as well as approving several routine, end-of-year appropriations for the municipal court, prosecutor’s office, and law director, as well of authorizing the purchase of miscellaneous supplies, equipment and services for use by the city in 2025.
Council meets again in regular session Tuesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Fire Chief Wilson comments on the new hires: