LIBERTY — Overtime costs in the Liberty Township Fire Department have been higher in 2020 so far, compared to the same time frame in 2019, according to figures provided by the township.

In all of 2019, overtime in the department cost $75,161, both in comp time given to the firefighters and pay.

Staffing complications in 2020 have contributed to the increase. One firefighter / paramedic died in April, and three more firefighters resigned or retired in May after an internal investigation. With full-time positions open, part-time firefighters were not supposed to be scheduled to work, according to the labor contract between the township and International Firefighters Association Local 2075.

The short staffing meant Station 34 on Belmont Avenue couldn’t be open full time. But a new memorandum of understanding between the township and union is expected to solve the problem.

So far in 2020, the township has paid out $68,768 in comp time and overtime pay.

At this time in 2019, the township had paid out $60,709, an $8,059 increase.

The comp time provided to firefighters in 2020 has been higher than the overtime pay the firefighters received in 2020. Compensatory time is not paid directly to the employees, but it is time the employees get paid for when they aren’t working because of increased hours they worked at another time.

While cash paid out to the firefighters in 2020 is at $23,523 — $2,133 less than the amount paid out for the same time period in 2019 — the comp time has increased to $45,244 over the same time period in 2019, a $10,191 increase.

The numbers provided by the township show total overtime costs were more expensive in the first five pay periods of 2019; but during the next six pay periods around March and May, the costs in 2020 significantly outweighed the 2019 costs, by about $15,000. During the 12th and 13th pay periods, costs in 2019 were narrowly higher, by about $2,000.

In the four most recent pay periods, the costs in 2020 again outweighed the 2019 costs, by about $8,000.

The memorandum between the township and union states part-time workers can come back to work, and the union won’t file a grievance seeking back pay for the contract violation as long as the township moves forward with a Sept. 1 civil service test and hires more firefighters by Nov. 1.

In a social media post Wednesday, the union announced the deal.

“We had a very successful labor management meeting this morning with the administration. We are excited to inform the residents that the result of the meeting is that part-time staff is back to work and Station 34 on Belmont Avenue should be open much more often. We are hopeful to see (the department) at full staffing by November. Thank you to the union administration and township administration for spending the morning getting a deal worked out to bring back the part-time (employees) and develop a plan to get us back to full staffing,” it states.

The union also used its social media account to thank Vienna, Girard and private emergency services for providing mutual aid assistance on calls while staffing was short.

rfox@tribtoday.com