HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Hendersonville’s fire chief has built up nearly 350 hours of unused vacation time — far beyond what city rules normally allow. This week, city board members debated whether to pay him for the hours or find another solution.
City documents show Fire Chief Scotty Bush accumulated 349 hours of excess vacation time over several years. Officials say the buildup stemmed largely from staffing shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Typically, city employees can only carry over 168 vacation hours. But special agreements gave Bush permission to exceed that limit. One proposal would have allowed the city to pay him out for those hours when he retires — a cost estimated at around $38,000…