A Human Resources Manager and two full-time firefighters are among additional staff positions proposed in the 2008 budget for The Blue Mountains.

A public information session on the 2008 budget is set for today, 5-7 p.m., at the L.E. Shore Memorial Library. A public meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 11, during the council meeting beginning at 7 p.m. The budget will be presented for council approval on Feb. 20.

An overall property tax increase of about 1.4 per cent is the bottom line of the proposed budget, based on a 4.2-per-cent increase in town taxes and no increase Grey County and provincial education taxes.

During the recent budget review process, town council heard recommendations for a total of four new staff positions and a handful of part-time jobs. As well, some new positions are proposed incorporating existing staff.

The Human Resources Manager is needed, town CAO Paul Graham said, to help deal with the growing staff complement. The town has about 80 employees working in various departments, not including the OPP detachment. The job would also involve preparing and implementing a high-performance strategy for town staff and develop new policies for human resources and staffing.

The fire department's budget includes provision to hire two new full-time firefighters. Fire Chief Ron Doherty told council the department needs to increase its full-time staff to continue to meet provincial requirements.

As well, he said, the department is facing more difficulty attracting enough part-time firefighters, especially at the Craigleith station. That's primarily because of demographics in that community, Doherty said. Many homes are owned by part-time residents and a large percentage of full-time residents are retired people.

The fire department budget forecasts a need for additional full-time firefighter positions to come on-stream in each of the next two years.

Another position is in the Engineering and Public Works Department, which is proposing to hire a sewer and water compliance officer and efficiency co-ordinator. That job is necessary to meet new provincial requirements.

The Building and Bylaw Department, meanwhile, wants to add another full-time building inspector and the Financial Services Department is asking for a new accounting clerk.

Several contract positions are also being proposed. One of those is an analyst needed to meet new provincial financial reporting requirements. That position would be on a nine-month contract.

A one-year contract would be included for an environmental initiatives co-ordinator under the Engineering and Public Works Department. And the curator position for the Craigleith Depot would continue under a 12-month contract.

Proposed part-time positions would include a new part-time clerk for the library, increasing the health and safety officer position from one day to two-and-a-half days per week, a halftime bylaw assistant, and two summer students for the recreation department.

Meanwhile, one staff person would work seven months each year for the Parks and Recreation Department and then switch to the roads department for five months during the winter season.

Two positions will involve increasing responsibilities for existing staff. The roads department would appoint a new lead hand to supervise works crews and a new facility operator-supervisor position would be created in the recreation department.