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Fire chief explains overtime drivers; council asks for contingency and capital breakouts
Summary
The fire chief told council minimum staffing and shift coverage rules drive overtime; council questioned a proposed overtime increase and discussed moving some contingency funds into a central reserve for midyear needs and to smooth capital swings.
The fire chief outlined the fire/rescue budget, including 19 positions, training and an overtime budget that rose in the draft. He explained that minimum staffing policy creates overtime exposure when personnel take leave — "My minimum staffing per policy is we've got 5 per shift, 24 24, 48. I've got 5 guys assigned to each of those shifts. My minimum staffing is 4," — and described the approach to backfill vacancies and the tiered coverage system that can escalate costs.
Council members pressed for clearer justification for the overtime increase and asked staff to consider moving a portion of expected overtime exposure into a central reserve or contingency account so departments can access funds midyear without immediate budget amendments. The chief acknowledged the concern and agreed to present more detailed breakdowns and minimums for future consideration.
