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Norwalk City fire commission hears midyear budget update, vacancy and overtime outlook
Summary
Chief McCabe told the Norwalk City Fire Commission the department is roughly halfway through the fiscal year, with the salaries account at 49.34% utilization and approximately $87,348 below projections; overtime is higher partly because of earlier vacancies but should stabilize after recent hires.
Norwalk City’s fire leadership reported a stable midyear financial position and said overtime usage should decline as open positions are filled.
Fire Chief McCabe told commissioners on Jan. 20 that the department has completed six months of the fiscal year and that the salaries account stood at 49.34% utilization, ‘‘placing us approximately $87,348 below projections.’’ He said the overtime account is at 52.54% of budget but noted that the department operated with 11 vacancies earlier in the year and added seven new firefighters in late November, leaving four vacancies and reducing the need for overtime going forward.
The chief said the salary lines also absorbed two contractual salary increases, including retroactive pay, and that those factors explain much of the current pattern in spending. He described the overall financial position as ‘‘pleasing’’ at the halfway point and offered to take follow-up questions from commissioners.
Commissioners did not ask further questions during the meeting. Mayor Barbara Smith closed the budget discussion after the briefing.
The commission did not take new budget action at the session; the report served as an informational midyear update with department leaders flagging staffing changes and contingency expectations for the second half of the year.
