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Keene fire chief projects $285,000 FY26 shortfall in personnel costs; committee accepts update
Summary
Fire Chief Jason Martin told the committee the department projects an operating surplus of $115,000 but personnel costs are roughly $400,000 over budget, yielding a projected net shortfall of about $285,000; the committee accepted the update as informational.
Fire Chief Jason Martin told the Keene City Council's finance, organization and personnel committee that the department expects an operating surplus of about $115,000 in FY26 but faces an approximately $400,000 personnel overage, creating a projected overall shortfall near $285,000.
"On the operating side ... we're projected to be in the green by 115,000," Chief Martin said, and added that "on the personnel side ... we're projected to be in the red or over budget by approximately 400,000," which yields a combined projected overage of roughly $285,000. He said the two largest drivers are supplemental replacement (overbudget by $323,932) and sick-time replacement (about $319,000).
Martin explained supplemental replacement covers vacancies, overtime for training new hires and coverage for retirements and resignations. He said four firefighters hired last July required training that temporarily increased overtime costs but that new recruits starting in July should reduce pressure once they are fully up to speed.
Committee members asked whether overtime needs would fall once recruits complete training; Martin said it typically takes a month to a month and a half for new hires to be fully effective and that staff will work with finance at closeout to request reallocations of operating funds if necessary.
A motion to accept the FY26 operating budget update as informational was moved, seconded and approved by the committee. Chief Martin said he will return after the fiscal year close with any formal requests to move operating funds to personnel lines to zero out the budget.
