Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Fire chief seeks modest cuts but warns of rising overtime and apparatus costs
Summary
Fire Chief Mark Fritz presented the fiscal 2026 fire department budget request, describing core services, rising overtime exposure tied to structure fires and a capital backlog for apparatus that has grown in cost and lead time.
Fire Chief Mark Fritz presented the Auburn Fire Department’s fiscal‑year 2026 budget request to the City Council on April 10, saying the department continues to respond to structure fires, rescues and hazardous materials incidents while managing retirements and equipment needs.
Fritz said the department has 77 employees (76 uniformed), operates two stations, and ran about 8,082 calls in 2024 — roughly in line with recent years. He described the department’s multi‑role duties (fire suppression, EMS first response, tactical rescue, hazmat and fire prevention) and said staffing and overtime are the largest cost drivers in the proposed $8.7 million budget request.
Why…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
