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Firefighters, police association and community groups urge council to protect public safety and First Night funding
Summary
Unions and community organizations warned that proposed freezes to firefighting and other public‑safety positions could undermine readiness and increase overtime, and nonprofit First Night leaders asked council to restore modest event funding after staff proposed cutting the organization to zero.
Speakers at the April 29 public comment period urged the Monterey City Council to weigh the operational consequences of staff’s proposed emergency budget measures and to preserve small but important community programs.
Philip, vice president of Monterey Firefighters Local 370, told the council that staff recommendations to freeze an assistant fire chief, a deputy fire marshal and three firefighter positions “go against multiple findings and recommendations from the city gate standards of coverage study published in 2022.” He warned that reductions would increase workload, risk…
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