A couple of years ago, at the budget hearings, the chairman of the City Council's finance committee praised the Chief for keeping OT costs down. The Chief replied ” I didn't do it.. you allowed me to fill positions, therefore decreasing the need for OT”…

Fast forward to the budget hearings for FY 2010,,,

The bean counters on the City Council stated that there was too much money in the OT account and cut it by $80K. We also have firefighter retiring this month, and they cut the salary account to reflect his retirement.

We have had a number of firefighters on extended sick leave and Injury leave, couple that with contractual time off for vacations and such, the OT account is becoming depleted. We also have 4 firefighters that can retire tomorrow if they choose .. thereby compounding the need for OT.

If the Finance Committee rejects the idea putting additional funds into the OT account and the Council votes for their recommendation we will have to brown out a station as staffing dictates.

By the way.. the City has over $12 million in the coffers between the free cash and he stabilization accounts.

Sometimes I think we are in the fire service version of Bill Murray's “Groundhog Day”.

A couple of years ago, at the budget hearings, the chairman of the City Council's finance committee praised the Chief for keeping OT costs down. The Chief replied ” I didn't do it.. you allowed me to fill positions, therefore decreasing the need for OT”…

Fast forward to the budget hearings for FY 2010,,,

The bean counters on the City Council stated that there was too much money in the OT account and cut it by $80K. We also have firefighter retiring this month, and they cut the salary account to reflect his retirement.

We have had a number of firefighters on extended sick leave and Injury leave, couple that with contractual time off for vacations and such, the OT account is becoming depleted. We also have 4 firefighters that can retire tomorrow if they choose .. thereby compounding the need for OT.

If the Finance Committee rejects the idea putting additional funds into the OT account and the Council votes for their recommendation we will have to brown out a station as staffing dictates.

By the way.. the City has over $12 million in the coffers between the free cash and he stabilization accounts.

Sometimes I think we are in the fire service version of Bill Murray's “Groundhog Day”.

A couple of years ago, at the budget hearings, the chairman of the City Council's finance committee praised the Chief for keeping OT costs down. The Chief replied ” I didn't do it.. you allowed me to fill positions, therefore decreasing the need for OT”…

Fast forward to the budget hearings for FY 2010,,,

The bean counters on the City Council stated that there was too much money in the OT account and cut it by $80K. We also have firefighter retiring this month, and they cut the salary account to reflect his retirement.

We have had a number of firefighters on extended sick leave and Injury leave, couple that with contractual time off for vacations and such, the OT account is becoming depleted. We also have 4 firefighters that can retire tomorrow if they choose .. thereby compounding the need for OT.

If the Finance Committee rejects the idea putting additional funds into the OT account and the Council votes for their recommendation we will have to brown out a station as staffing dictates.

By the way.. the City has over $12 million in the coffers between the free cash and he stabilization accounts.

Sometimes I think we are in the fire service version of Bill Murray's “Groundhog Day”.

A couple of years ago, at the budget hearings, the chairman of the City Council's finance committee praised the Chief for keeping OT costs down. The Chief replied ” I didn't do it.. you allowed me to fill positions, therefore decreasing the need for OT”…

Fast forward to the budget hearings for FY 2010,,,

The bean counters on the City Council stated that there was too much money in the OT account and cut it by $80K. We also have firefighter retiring this month, and they cut the salary account to reflect his retirement.

We have had a number of firefighters on extended sick leave and Injury leave, couple that with contractual time off for vacations and such, the OT account is becoming depleted. We also have 4 firefighters that can retire tomorrow if they choose .. thereby compounding the need for OT.

If the Finance Committee rejects the idea putting additional funds into the OT account and the Council votes for their recommendation we will have to brown out a station as staffing dictates.

By the way.. the City has over $12 million in the coffers between the free cash and he stabilization accounts.

Sometimes I think we are in the fire service version of Bill Murray's “Groundhog Day”.