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Kirksville to apply for SAFER grant to fund up to five firefighters; city would cover a roughly $498,000 match
Summary
City staff said the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant would fund most of the cost of up to five new firefighters for three years; the council approved applying for the grant, with staff noting the city would match about $497,620 if awarded.
The Kirksville City Council approved submission of an application for the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to fund up to five additional firefighter positions. City staff said the grant would pay 75% of salaries and benefits for the first two years and 35% for the third year; the city’s estimated match is approximately $497,620 over the performance period.
Deputy City Manager Rodney Sadler said Kirksville has applied in the past without success but that the department hopes a request for five positions better meets the grant’s metrics than prior requests for two. Sadler told the council the total grant award amount being sought was “a little over $1,200,000,” and that the city would reevaluate after the three‑year performance period and could reapply in future years.
Fire Chief John Cook said raising daily crew staffing to an eight‑person daily minimum would reduce overtime and improve response efficiency, and that the SAFER funding could make retaining the additional positions cheaper for the city over a three‑year span than hiring them without the grant.
Sadler noted a program change this year: a cost share has been reintroduced after many years of the grant not requiring a match. The reintroduced match spreads federal funds further and could affect award decisions. Council members asked clarifying questions about the match and about how the additional staffing aligns with the department’s strategic plan; Sadler and Cook answered that the department would step toward its long‑term staffing goals if funded.
No members of the public spoke on the grant application, and the council approved the motion to submit the application. Staff said the grant application is due in early July and that Fire Chief Cook prepared much of the supporting material.
