Midway Fire Chief gets pay hike - five months late
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Demeter

Midway Fire Chief Stephen Demeter finally got his annual five percent raise this week - at least five months late. And it's almost time for another raise already.

Commissioners promised the Chief that the annual evaluation would be completed by last November, and his raise would kick in by last December, but they had not completed it until last month. So this week Chief Demeter will get a lump sum check for his promised raise, retroactive to last Dec. 1.

The Chief's current contract calls for a five percent raise each year, if the performance evaluation is good enough to warrant the top possible raise. Commission Treasurer Clyde Broome said the Chief would be making $70,000 at the end of this fiscal year.

The Chief's t h r e e - y e a r contract is up for renewal now. It expires officially June 1.

The commissioners took a look at the current contract to see what changes they may want to make.

Commissioner Jacque Gorris said he would like to wait and see what happens with the county ambulance contract, then look at a higher increase for the chief, instead of building it into the new contract up front.

Commissioners decided to take a look at the contract and table the final vote until the May meeting, so the new contract can be signed with the Chief before his current contract expires.