North Pole council advances comp time for on-call utility workers

North Pole utility workers would earn one hour of compensatory time for each day they are on call under an ordinance the North Pole City Council voted 6-1 to introduce Monday. Mayor Larry Terch III cast the lone no vote.

Council member David Brandt sponsored the measure with council member Claus. Council member Jordan Schuster clarified at the meeting that he was not a co-sponsor. Brandt said five people run the city's utility department, and one is on call each week to maintain 24-hour service. He said the ordinance grants one hour of comp time per calendar day on call and would not affect the budget, since it is comp time, not overtime.

A worker at the city code's comp-time cap, 80 hours for most employees, earns no on-call comp time until the balance drops. The code also requires unused comp time to be paid in cash when an overtime-eligible employee leaves city employment.

Randy Binkley, a city utility employee, said on-call workers are paid only when called in. "We get nothing for just being on call," he said. "When we're on call, we lose our week. We, we can't do anything. I can't go fishing on the weekend." Binkley said four operators share the rotation, putting him on call about three months a year, and that he and his wife avoid outings like movies. At his earlier police department job, he said, he could still go four-wheeling on days off. He said nearby College Utilities gives workers the same hour of comp time per on-call day, plus call-out pay.

Terch asked why police and fire were excluded. Brandt said those departments don't require constant availability. Terch noted utility workers already get a two-hour minimum when called out. Binkley said the on-call expectation was disclosed when he was hired.

Police Chief Jed Smith testified in support, citing "the mental load associated with this," and recommended a time study of weekly calls to consider a smaller payment for phone-only responses.

Brandt closed: "I just think an hour a day of comp time is the least we can do for them."

The ordinance still needs a public hearing and a final council vote. No hearing date is posted yet. If adopted, it takes effect immediately.