Posted: Nov. 10, 2009

Franklin — Common Council members say they want to fill a vacant firefighter and two open police officer positions, contrasting with Mayor Tom Taylor's initial budget proposal that left those jobs empty.

As a result, there will likely be cuts of a different kind when the council passes the budget next week.

About 25 firefighters turned out at a budget meeting Nov. 4 at City Hall to support filling the open position, which has been that way since Battalion Chief Dan Mayer left earlier this year to become Cudahy fire chief.

The cost of short-staffing

The Fire Department has been understaffed for years and leaving the position vacant only further hampers its ability to provide timely service, John Young, firefighter and union president, told aldermen and Finance Committee members.

"You have directed the chief to come up with more revenue sources and cut overtime costs," Young said. "Doing this has several consequences: increased response times; increased employee injuries, with lost time causing overtime; longer delay fire response and fire suppression; and almost nonexistent fire education program."

Since the Common Council in 2005 turned down a federal grant that would have allowed the city to hire six firefighters, city officials have done "little to nothing" to increase staff, he said.

Young also dismissed the idea of hiring "on-call" firefighters, saying it would be "fiscally irresponsible" to spend money on advertising, hiring and training only to see them leave for another fire department.

"It makes more sense to me to invest 20 to 30 years in an employee that's going to commit themselves to the department and the citizens they serve," Young said.

Finding budget room

Some Common Council members said they were willing to make cuts in other areas of the budget in order to fund the firefighter and two police officers.

It remains to be seen from where those cuts would come, if indeed the three public safety positions are restored. The council is due to adopt the budget Nov. 17, the same night a public hearing will be held.

Alderman Steve Taylor said he is at work on a proposal that would require layoffs in other departments. Another alderman, Steve Olson, said he would rather see staff reductions in the planning or building inspection department or short money from an equipment fund, which pays to replace Public Works vehicles.

Fiscal warnings

Mayor Tom Taylor holds veto power over a Common Council-passed budget. Taylor said he may use that authority if filling the three positions creates a large fiscal problem or if the tax levy rise more than 3 percent over last year, which would violate state-imposed limits.

On another issue that ties into the city's overall budget concerns, Taylor said he also would review revenue projections with city administrators.

Some aldermen called into question those projections as too rosey, noting the shortfall the city faced this year after revenue from permits, licenses and other sources was much lower than expected.

THE NEXT STEP

WHAT: Public hearing on 2010 Franklin budget

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17

WHERE: Franklin City Hall, 9229 W. Loomis Road