Atlanta Unfiltered

September 16, 2009 --

Gwinnett’s new fire chief, 26-year department veteran George W. “Bill” Myers, will start at an annual salary of $135,000 under an employment contract that takes effect Saturday.

His pay range, though, extends upward to $177,914. Myers will be able to convert excess unused sick leave to cash or to annual leave if he accumulates more than he’s allowed to carry over from year to year. Also, he’s eligible for a take-home car or a car allowance of $4,160 a year.

He will continue to serve as an at-will employee, meaning he can be fired at any time. If he were to be fired for malfeasance, the contract specifies that he would not be allowed to resign in lieu of termination. And he can’t take on any outside county employment or consulting without the county manager’s approval.