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Westmoreland council approves budget first reading; public urges full‑time fire coverage, pay scales deferred to work study
Summary
The Westmoreland City Council approved the 2025–26 budget ordinance after a tie vote was broken by the mayor, but the approval does not automatically fund new full‑time firefighter positions. A resident urged full‑time coverage; councilmembers agreed to defer formal adoption of pay scales to a June work study for further review.
The Westmoreland City Council approved the first reading of the 2025–26 budget ordinance after a 2–2 split that the mayor broke with a yes vote, but the council did not approve any immediate hiring or across‑the‑board raises tied to that budget.
The matter matters because the city’s volunteer fire department and residents pressed the council for more reliable weekday coverage as call volume rises, while councilmembers said budget adoption alone does not guarantee new hires or automatic pay increases.
Curtis Singh, a Westmoreland resident, told the council during public comments that the city’s growth and rising call volume mean “it’s vital at this point” to move toward full‑time fire coverage. Singh said…
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