At the non-agenda portion of the Dec. 17 meeting, Suburban Woods residents Janice Balm and Daryl Davis described persistent truck-idling, loud refrigeration units and diesel fumes from a yard adjacent to their neighborhood. Balm said the noise and fumes have left residents sleepless and concerned for health and safety; they asked city staff to accelerate enforcement and seek mitigation of the nuisance.

Council members acknowledged the problem and asked staff to review enforcement options and whether court remedies or zoning code enforcement could be pursued more quickly. Council requested staff follow up with the neighborhood.

Representatives of Suffolk Professional Firefighters Local 2801 — including Douglas Carter and Robert Barrett — told council the department faces a spike in vacancies, applicant drop-off during background checks and pay-compression that reduces retention. They said the step plan adopted in 2022 was funded at roughly 60% of the study recommendation, leaving longer-serving employees undercompensated; they urged council to implement the full step plan and increase stipends (paramedic and specialty pay) to match regional standards.

Fire union speakers provided operational figures (30 current vacancies, 69 applicants remaining in screening from an initial 296, and a high cost to train/recruit each firefighter) and said retention hinges on compensation and workload comparisons with neighboring departments. Council thanked speakers and indicated they would work with staff on recruitment and pay issues as part of upcoming budget/CIP discussions.

The council did not take an immediate personnel or enforcement vote; staff were asked to follow up with affected residents and to brief council on options to address both neighborhood nuisance enforcement and fire-department compensation/retention.