[Story posted March 19, 2017 by Bill Pickett]
A proposal to cut 16 Danville Firefighters is headed to a vote before the city council. Ward 3 Alderwoman Sharon Pickering asked during a Saturday study session that the issue be added to Tuesday night’s agenda. She is one of the council members who strongly opposes the cuts. In fact, Pickering has proposed adding nine firefighters, taking the number to 51. She says the approximately $700-thousand dollars the city spends on overtime costs in that department would cover much of the expense.
Carol Trueblood (shown here), the only citizen who spoke at the study session, also supports adding firefighters – not cutting them.
[In the photo Trueblood addresses members of the Danville City Council during its Saturday study session which was called specifically on the budget.]
‘’So if we had $700,000 this year it seems to me we could have hired a few more firefighters and eliminated some of that overtime,’’ said Trueblood. ‘’And I understand there’s pension costs, but they’re paying into the pension which sort of helps. I understand you have to match what they pay in. Not only that – but if you let sixteen firefighters go, they’re all going to pull their pension out. And that’s gonna, I think, hurt your pension problems.’’
Mayor Scott Eisenhauer recently proposed cutting 16 firefighters after a federal mediator ruled in favor of Firefighters Local 429 in their contract dispute with the city. The Mayor says the ruling is going to cost the city an additional $1.3 million dollars. The mayor is sticking by his original proposal.
‘’I’ve made it very clear that the plan I’ve proposed is the one that I’m willing to ask the council to pass. There are certainly members of the council who don’t feel as though that’s the most appropriate. And so part of a budget study session is simply to allow them the opportunity to make their own suggestions, and see whether or not those garner eight votes.’’
The City Council meets at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building (at 17 West Main Street).
