Shift Bidding

Chiefs' Messages

All –

Shift bidding will take place again this year, but with a few changes to ensure department needs are met, and to help prevent people getting moved immediately after the bidding is complete.  In essence, we are putting the department’s needs into the bidding process ahead of time as opposed to making adjustments after the fact.

Shift bidding will take place Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 beginning at 0900 hrs. and should conclude by 1200.  Shift bidding will be done by position according to the below order.  Employees will be notified by a IAR message that they are up for their selection at which point they will notify Capt. Quiggle and Chief Erickson of their shift choice.  If they do not respond within 15 minutes, one phone call will be attempted in order to contact the employee.  If still unable to contact the employee, the sealed bid process will be used to make the employee’s selection.   Shift bidding may be placed by phone or by other personal contact. During the process, there will be live updates after each pick so employees will be able to track the bidding online and see what is still available to pick.

Employees may place their bid in advance through the use of the “sealed bid”.  A sealed bid may be submitted by each employee prior to October 11th primarily as a means of placing a bid in the event the employee does not personally contact Capt. Quiggle during their allotted time period.  The form is to be placed in a sealed envelope and given to the captain in charge of bidding, Brad Quiggle, any time before the bidding day.  The envelope will then be opened at the end of that person’s allotted time, unless the employee’s bid comes in by phone or personal contact.  As soon as contact has been made the sealed bid will then be shredded without being opened.  If an employee fails to respond to the page or phone call and has not submitted a sealed bid, they will be passed over until either they call in or until all positions have been filled, at which point they will be put into the final available slot.  Captain Quigge will be emailing this form to everyone.

Openings on each shift will be divided among captains, engineers, acting captains, alternate engineers, investigators, SOT members and firefighters.  Personnel will bid for any of the three shifts with an opening in his/her job position/assignment and at the station of their choice in accordance with the department’s required position/assignment distribution. When an employee makes a bid, his/her name will be entered in their position/assignment on the shift/station selected.  Employee’s bids will need to meet the distribution requirements for all the positions/assignments in which they are qualified – this may result in some employees having limited choices (for example – when the acting captains are bidding, the three investigators will need to pick to ensure they are on different shifts).  If an employee does not wish to have their choices limited by multiple positions/assignments, they can choose to remove themselves from a position or assignment, however, they will forfeit their being considered for future promotions.  Those wishing to forfeit a position or assignment, need to notify Chief Erickson in writing prior to 0800 on October 11, 2017

All shift bidding and its process is subject to approval by the Fire Chief.  In addition, changes to the shifts may be made at any time during the year, or as shift bidding is occurring when management deems necessary.  Examples would include balancing shifts for light-duty, military duty, pending retirements, or any other department operational needs.

The bidding order will be as follows:

Captain (time in grade)

  1. Brad Quiggle
  2. Adam Schewe
  3. John Mohs
  4. Chris Snyder
  5. John Voigt
  6. Ben Bailey

Lieutenant (may pick anywhere)

  1. Sean Jansen

Engineers (time in grade – one per station)

  1. Rob Ehlert
  2. Paul Fletcher
  3. Bill Brandecker
  4. Jason Bessermin
  5. Pat Noack
  6. Peter Friend

Acting Captains (position on list – one per station)

  1. Terry Johnson
  2. Pat Noack (earlier pick)
  3. Matt Dinneen
  4. Tom Brooks
  5. Jeff Blomseth
  6. Shawn Kutney

Alternate Engineers (position on list – two per station)

  1. Matt Dinneen (earlier pick)
  2. Karl Stamm
  3. Jake Ganfield
  4. Terry Johnson (earlier pick)
  5. Tom Brooks (earlier pick)
  6. Shawn Kutney (earlier pick)
  7. Tim Congdon
  8. Tony Gutierrez
  9. Matt Nelson
  10. Jeff Blomseth (earlier pick)

Investigators (time in grade – one per shift)

  1. Shawn Kutney (earlier pick)
  2. Jeff Blomseth (earlier pick)
  3. Terry Johnson (earlier pick)

SOT Members (time in grade – one per shift)

  1. Shawn Kutney (earlier pick)
  2. Matt Dinneen (earlier pick)
  3. Sam Seal

Firefighters (seniority – any open slot)

  1. Tony Del Rio
  2. Andy Dahlinger
  3. Ang Appelholm
  4. Nate Rank
  5. Evan Larsen
  6. Dan Willems

Notes:

  • Sean Jansen will move to fill the retirement of John Mohs (should he decide to retire in 2018).
  • Logan Schewe and Jordan Thompson will not be picking and will be assigned to work with their current officers as soon as the current officers have completed their bids.
  • Administration will not specify which stations get five and six personnel.  The shift picks will determine the total numbers per station.  When the first shift/station has six personnel, it will be considered full, leaving the other station open for picks until it has reached five personnel.
  • The web address to watch the bidding is:http://www.smfdmn.org/18bid
    • ​​The overall bidding order is listed on the right side of this page.

Please contact me or Captain Quiggle should you have any questions.

Thanks,

Mark

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