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The Mayor’s Downtown Holiday Lighting Festival kicked off the holiday season on a frosty Friday evening, Nov. 18, at City Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.
Temperatures were in the 20s for the free event.
The festival was back in person this year after a couple of years of modified drive-through events.
The Mayor’s Downtown Holiday Lighting Festival brought the holiday spirit into Kansas City, Kansas, with the lighting of the Mayor’s holiday tree Friday evening at City Hall. (Video by Steve Rupert)
Paramedic compensation is poised to increase in Wyandotte County. The action is intended to create an employment incentive to recruit and retain this important public service skill. The news came on Nov. 22 as the Unified Government announced a letter of understanding between the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department and International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 64 to increase firefighter-paramedic compensation.
Terms of the agreement include an increase in the current pay differential of one percent for an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) to nine percent for paramedics. UG says the increase reflects the additional training required to obtain a Paramedic certification, and the tight labor market for paramedics.
There are hiring incentives and improved starting pay for new employees with an active paramedic certification. There will be incentives and a certification pathway for new hires who lack a paramedic certification.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement,” said County Administrator Doug Bach.
“Paramedics play a key role in providing lifesaving care for our residents. With these changes, we can more competitively compensate our KCKFD paramedics.”
The Unified Government and Local 64 have agreed to continue work towards a comprehensive multi-year contract to cover all members of the union.