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Montclair council adopts $691,000 SAFER grant to staff medic squad
Summary
The Montclair City Council adopted the consent calendar including acceptance of a $691,000 SAFER grant to hire two full‑time firefighter‑paramedics to staff a planned medic squad; officials said the grant supplements positions already in the FY budget but retention after three years is not guaranteed.
The Montclair City Council on a 5–0 roll‑call vote adopted the consent calendar, which included acceptance of a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant of $691,000 to hire two full‑time firefighter‑paramedics to staff a new medic squad.
Council member Ben Lopez praised the award as a public‑safety gain and explained the grant’s purpose: "This is a staffing for adequate fire and emergency response grant in the amount of $691,000 to hire 2 full time firefighter paramedics that would man the new medic squad," he said. Lopez said the squad will serve the north end of the city and help meet rising demand as planned development in the North Downtown Montclair area proceeds.
City Manager Stern told the council the grant positions are intended to supplement two positions already included in the city’s budget and that the city has a medic apparatus on order. Stern said the city has several options at the end of the three‑year grant period: "At the end of the 3 years, again, we either let them go, and they would be advised at the time of hiring that this is a grant position, that it is not necessarily guaranteed to be permanent," Stern said, while also noting administration’s intent to try to retain the positions where feasible.
Mayor Dutre added that the council has previously authorized acquisition of the medic unit and framed the grant as part of a multi‑year effort tied to prior voter commitments: the mayor said keeping the medic squad staffed is among commitments made when Measure L passed in 2020.
Procedure and vote: Council member Ben Lopez moved to adopt the consent calendar; Mayor Dutre seconded. After briefly retrying an electronic vote because of a glitch, the council approved the consent calendar by unanimous roll call, 5–0.
What happens next: Staff said a fuller staffing and budgeting plan will be reflected in future personnel and budget discussions; the council did not make a binding post‑grant retention commitment during the meeting. The council then scheduled a workshop on Sept. 16 for further updates and moved into closed session on separate items.
Sources: Remarks by Ben Lopez (council member), City Manager Stern, and Mayor Dutre during the council meeting.
