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Full-time firefighters may be cut City considers other major changes in wake of LGA cuts Staff Writer An effort to reduce Brainerd's budget in the wake of a proposed $683,000 reduction in local government aid from the state could have a drastic change in how fire services are delivered.
City Administrator Dan Vogt, in a memo delivered to city staff and council members Thursday, recommended $672,500 in cuts to the city's budget. The recommended cuts, in both funds and in personnel, would effect just about every department in the city. For the Brainerd Fire Department, it would mean six full-time fire equipment operators would be laid off as the department is changed over to a paid on-call fire department.
The fire chief position and the administrative specialist position would remain. Vogt also recommended the creation of a full-time deputy fire chief to act as a supervisor, perform the chief's duties in the chief's absence and to perform the duties of a fire inspector.
In his memo, Vogt cited several reasons for why he believed such a move could work - a vast majority of fire departments in Minnesota were paid on-call with a small minority operating as combination departments, like Brainerd currently is, or as all full-time departments; fire run volumes are down; there'd probably be no noticeable impact on response time to rural fires as currently equipment waits at the fire hall for paid on-call firefighters to arrive; and the city's fire insurance rating, if it went from the current four rating to a five rating under the change, would probably result in a $2 annual increase for insurance on a $200,000 home.
The change, proposed to be effective May 1, would save the city only $90,000 in 2010 because of unemployment and other costs, but it would save an estimated $500,000 in 2011 and beyond, Vogt wrote.
Vogt declined to comment on his recommendations Thursday, saying everything that needed to be said was in the memo.
Vogt intended to publicly release his recommendations Friday to allow staff and council members time to review them. The council will host a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Brainerd City Hall to discussion the budget.
"I owe it to the council to discuss it with them before I discuss it in the paper," Vogt said.
The Dispatch obtained a copy of the memo late Thursday afternoon.
Full-time fire equipment operator Charlie Dunemann said full-time firefighters were shocked Thursday when they read Vogt's recommendations. Dunemann said full-time fire equipment operators do more than just fight fires, they know how to operate and maintain all of the department's equipment, they provide public services, conduct training and public education, provide leadership and can perform medical services.
Dunemann said without full-time firefighters people can expect a slower response or no guaranteed response, and fire trucks from other cities in Brainerd as the fire department relies more on mutual aid to cover fires.
For the full-time fire equipment operators, firefighting is a way of life, Dunemann said.
"We've got families out there, a lot of people dependent on this job," Dunemann said. "We live and breathe this job. It's a passion."
Council member and Personnel and Finance Committee Chairwoman Mary Koep noted, as did Vogt in his memo, that discussion of switching the fire department from full time to paid on-call only has taken place for some time. She said it's one idea the council will need to look at.
"I think we have to look at all of these things without prejudice as much as we can, looking at what is best for the city but not putting people in danger," Koep said. "I'm hoping we'll do that. We really have to. Dan (Vogt) deserves praise, not criticism, in taking the bull by the horns and bringing these things to the council to discuss."
Koep said she hoped other council members would bring their own ideas to Tuesday's meeting. She also said the council should be willing to take ideas from the public.
"We're at the point where we need to look at everything. There is nothing where we can say, 'Oh, we can't look at that.' Everything has to go forward for discussion," Koep said.
Council member and Safety and Public Works Committee Chairman Bob Olson intends to bring his own ideas to Tuesday's meeting. Though he hadn't yet read Vogt's recommendations, which were delivered to council members Thursday night, he had spoken with Vogt earlier and he also commended Vogt for making bold recommendations.
Olson noted there are 23 employees that are eligible for early retirement, with three already taking the council up on the offer. He said without early retirements the city will be forced to eliminate positions.
Another area Olson said should be discussed further was Vogt's recommendation to shut down various streetlights in the city to save about $90,000 a year.
"This is not going to be easy," Olson said. "$1.1 million in cuts is tough."
The fire department isn't the only city department that would be effected, or considerably changed, under Vogt's recommendations.
• In administration, one employee has offered to take a voluntary furlough of a half-hour per day, or for a 37.5 hour work week, for a 2010 savings of $2,300.
• In the planning department, it is proposed that with an upcoming retirement of an administrative specialist that the position remain vacant and the two other administrative specialists take on those duties for both the planning and engineering departments. Because of the early retirement and other benefits for the retiring employee, the move will cost $4,244 more than budgeted in 2010, but will save about $50,000 in 2011.
• In building inspections, Vogt wrote that serious consideration was given to reducing hours for inspectors, but though the economy has slowed the number of permits issued had increased from 2006 to 2009. Instead, inspection staff will be directed to be more involved in other projects and duties, including nuisance inspections.
• In the police department, reorganization of supervisory staff is being considered and an officer vacancy will not be filled, which will save $108,000 in 2010. Also, there is a possibility of another vacancy, which wouldn't be filled. Also, the community service officers expense would be cut $22,000 effective May 1, with building inspectors assuming a larger role in nuisance inspections. The total 2010 savings would be $130,000.
• In the parks and recreation department, it is recommended that the recreation coordinator and the recreation specialist positions be laid off for six months of the year, from Oct. 1 to April 1, for a savings of $21,000 in 2010 and $42,000 in 2011; four of the six maintenance employees be laid off for six months for a savings of $38,000 in 2010 and $76,000 in 2011; not filling the park maintenance position after a retirement for a $32,500 cost in 2010 because of early retirement and a savings of $44,000 in 2011.
• In the street and sewer department, it is recommended not filling a position for a savings of $18,000 in 2010 and $57,800 in 2011.
In his summary of the proposed cuts, Vogt noted that $674,225 in cuts would cover Pawlenty's proposed cuts to the city's local government aid. In 2011, the savings would be $833,000. If all the personnel adjustments were made, the city would go from 87 full-time employees in the first quarter of 2008 to 66 full-time employees, a 24 percent drop.
Proposed non-personnel adjustments in 2010 totaling $411,625 of Vogt's recommended $674,225 in cuts included:
Eliminating the special projects fund for a savings of $54,725, cutting the Brainerd Public Library utility reimbursement for a savings of $22,500; and reducing unemployment expenses by $10,000;
Reducing the professional development fund by $1,000; returning the unspent portion of the mayor's contingency fund, about $750, to the general fund; reduce miscellaneous fund by $100; adjusting the mayor and council budget by $1,850;
Reducing the administration budget by $4,000, the city attorney budget by $500, the engineering department budget by $4,200; the planning department budget by $1,550; the city hall budget by $2,100; inspections budget by $2,000;
Adjusting the miscellaneous public safety budget by $57,500 by increasing fine revenue by $40,000, dropping the expense for the misdemeanor prosecutor by $15,000 and increasing animal control fees by $1,000; reducing the police department budget by $51,500; the fire department budget by $23,500; the parks and recreation budget by $15,700; and the street and sewer department by $122,000.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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