Cumberland council reviews Fire Department budget as training, per‑diem and ambulance costs rise

Madam Chair Douglas opened the March 17 budget workshop discussion of the fire department with staff updates on requested increases for fiscal 2026.

Helene, finance staff, said the 2026 draft “trues up” wages to reflect last year’s bargaining agreement, carries the contract’s four percent wage increase for next year and moves some operating items into the department’s line items so those costs can be tracked by cost center. She also pointed to a redlined packet the council can use to see the changes in context.

Why it matters: the proposed changes affect operating costs for public safety and include several items the council flagged for additional detail before budget adoption — notably a roughly $20,000 increase in the per‑diem line, an $18,000 increase in training driven largely by EMS recertification expenses, higher gasoline tied to a recently purchased ambulance and a larger share of contracted dispatching costs.

Staff described the per‑diem increase as a scheduling and cost‑management decision rather than an automatic move to hire more full‑time staff. Matt (staff member) said the intent is to use per‑diem workers to fill open 12‑hour shifts rather than hire another full‑time position; per‑diems pay more for a single shift but can be less expensive than hiring additional full‑time employees and paying overtime or premium pay under the contract.

Council members pressed for detail. Councilor Thorson asked whether the per‑diem rise reflected higher call volume or simply a change in how vacancies will be handled; staff answered it is a backfill strategy tied to the collective bargaining agreement’s requirements for offering shifts to unit members first, then using per‑diems if shifts remain unfilled.

Training: councilors repeatedly asked why training jumped from prior years’ levels. Helene said the largest piece is the EMS license recertification required by the bargaining agreement, which staff identified as the principal driver (approximately $11,500 of the increase). Helene and Matt agreed to supply a line‑by‑line breakdown of training and other operating increases before the council’s next meeting.

Utilities and other operating questions: staff noted a rise in gasoline tied to ambulance operations and an increase in building maintenance tied to a Siemens HVAC contract for central and west stations. Council members also flagged and staff acknowledged incomplete natural‑gas billing entries for October for both stations; Helene said missing bill documentation likely explains the zeroes and that staff will research actual charges and update the record.

Public comment and next steps: council members asked for itemized documentation for the larger training, maintenance and per‑diem increases. Staff agreed to provide more specific backup for each line item and to post council questions and staff answers on the municipal budget page ahead of the next workshop, scheduled March 24.

Ending: the council did not take any formal votes on the Fire Department budget at this meeting; members instructed staff to return with more detailed cost explanations and supporting invoice or contract information for consideration before final adoption.