The Jefferson City Fire Department plans to implement its new 48.5-hour shift schedule starting Jan. 4, 2020.
In May, the Jefferson City Council authorized the Jefferson City Fire Department and the Fire Department's union, Local 671, to begin a one-year trial period of the 48.5-hour shift schedule, with 96 straight hours off. Currently, the department operates under 24.25-hour shifts, where firefighters work three days in a five-day span and have four days off.
After that trial, Local 671 and city administration will decide whether to keep the new shift schedule or revert back to 24.25-hour shifts, said Jefferson City firefighter Colin Wright, who was on a committee tasked with researching the 48.5-hour shifts.
Since the beginning of the discussions, Jefferson City Fire Chief Matt Schofield told the Jefferson City Public Safety Committee on Thursday, he promised the shift change would be budget-neutral.
To remain budget-neutral, Schofield proposed amending the work agreement between city and Local 671 so the duty cycle is 24 consecutive days instead of 27 days. Sleep exclusion would also be 35.75 hours instead of 38 hours.
"We are still in a trial period, so there may be other things we don't see," Schofield said. "We are committed to making other changes to keep it budget-neutral as we promised."
The Public Safety Committee approved the proposed changes, sending it on to the City Council for final approval.
Union members and fire administration previously said they hope to attract more firefighters, increase job retention and satisfaction, and improve firefighters' sleep schedules by switching to the 48/96 shift schedule.
Several fire departments and fire protection districts - including nearby Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District and Lake Ozark Fire Protection District - have already switched to a 48-hour shift schedule.
In April, Cole County Emergency Medical Services voted to continue using a 48-hour shift schedule. The EMS service plans to have another vote later this year regarding whether to keep the new schedule.
In other business Thursday, the Public Safety Committee approved City Prosecutor Gaylin Carver's proposed ordinance that would add a second-degree trespassing violation to the city code. Currently, the city only has a first-degree trespassing violation.
"The current code requires the city prosecutor to prove the defendant to knowingly enter or remain unlawfully on another's property to convict a defendant of trespass in the first degree," according to the proposed bill. "Trespass in the second degree is substantially similar to trespass in the first degree but removes the mens rea state of 'knowing.' The city prosecutor will only have to prove that the defendant actually entered another's property unlawfully for a successful prosecution."
A second-degree trespassing penalty would include a $500 fine. Jail time would not be an option for this offense, City Counselor Ryan Moehlman said Thursday.
City staff will present the proposed ordinance to City Council on Aug. 5.