Board adds fire department position

The Ville Platte Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board voted on Wednesday to add the position of fire training and safety officer.
Those present for the vote were David Ortego, chairman, Christopher Soileau, vice chairman, Larry Lachney, board member, Venita Doucet, board member, and Hilda Edwards, secretary. Edward Avie, board member, and Fire Chief Chris Harrison were absent.
The vote was motioned by Doucet and seconded by Lachney. The vote passed unanimously.
The job will now be posted with the qualifications, job description and classification. The item will be posted for 30 days, and there will be a public hearing and meeting to discuss the results of anyone questioning the position.
The job duties include: evaluating the performance of the department employees during training and at the emergency scene, maintaining records documenting training activities for the department and ensuring compliance with departmental safety policies. The fire training and safety officer will report to and will have work reviewed by the fire chief or a superior officer designated by the fire chief.
At a Ville Platte Fire District #2 meeting in April, Harrison said that 26 percent of the training officer’s salary, which would be paid by they district, will amount to $278.67 a month. The remaining 74 percent of the salary will be paid by the City of Ville Platte.