Bethel firefighters owed back pay after city payroll error on Kelly Days

Bethel Fire Department employees are owed back pay after a city payroll review found they were not receiving earned Kelly Days while being paid at the lower hourly rate that shift schedule is designed to offset.

City Manager Lori Strickler sponsored the ordinance to correct the error. She said "compensation is necessary to make affected employees whole for earned Kelly Days that were not received."

The measure draws no new money. It transfers $100,000 from Employee Group Benefits to Salaries and separately reduces the FLSA Overtime line by $8,000, keeping the reallocation within existing fire department funds. The amendment covers the fiscal year running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

The Bethel City Council takes up the ordinance at its July 14 meeting at 6:30 p.m. It is on the consent agenda unless a council member removes it. A public hearing is scheduled for July 28.