Council refers request for nonunion fire wage adjustment after budget concerns

The Common Council on Nov. 7 voted to refer back to committee a Human Resources Committee recommendation to approve a wage adjustment for nonunion fire department staff, after staff told the council the fire department’s 2012 operating budget is not balanced and overtime costs have exceeded estimates.

Chief Rake (fire chief) explained that the department’s budget is heavily weighted toward wages (about 96 percent) and that operating budgets and training funds have been cut to minimal levels. He said recent increases in disability and sick time have forced greater overtime usage. “The budget for the fire department has been cut to the point where it cannot be cut anymore without cutting services,” the chief said, noting that reducing costs further would require layoffs or closing a fire hall.

Human Resources materials referenced a prior recommendation that nonrepresented fire staff receive the same adjustments as represented firefighters to equalize contributions and pay; however, city staff told the council that the fire department’s year-to-date overtime projections have worsened since the earlier HRC memo. Director Vito told the council the administration had been working with department heads to identify offsets, but that if the fire department cannot cover its overage, other departments would need to absorb it or the city would risk a deficit.

Given the change in the department’s budget position since HRC considered the item, a councilor moved and the council seconded referral of the wage-adjustment request back to committee for further review; the motion passed by voice vote.