ELYRIA — Almost a year after staffing levels dropped from 17 to 14 firefighters at the city’s four fire stations, and weeks after the city saw its largest industrial fire in history, overtime costs in the Fire Department have dropped only $50,000, city figures show.

Dropping minimum manning requirement was a decision Mayor Bill Grace made in August 2007 as a way of ensuring the Fire Department stayed within its budget, but the dramatic cost savings just haven’t materialized to a point of justification, interim Fire Chief Joe Pronesti said.

“Is that enough money? Is it worth the gamble in property loss and lives we are taking every day?” he said. “There’s no price you can put on those things. But every day we operate without that fourth station open, we are saying those things have a price that the city is willing to pay.”

While complete August figures are not available, figures from the city auditor’s office show that by July 31, 2007, the Fire Department spent $378,719.40 on overtime, a number that jumped to $586,328.65 by year’s end.

This year through July 31, the Fire Department has accumulated $328,915.99 in overtime and is on course to spend $570,120.85 by year’s end.

If the projected figure holds, the Fire Department will spend about $16,000 less on overtime this year than it did last year, said Chief Deputy Auditor John Farrell.

However, that number is still way above the $400,000 budgeted for department overtime at the beginning of the year, Farrell said.

Such minimal cost savings have some wondering if the decision to cut staffing, which came with a lot of public outrage, was worth it.

“We really got a lot of flak for that decision, but we stood behind it because it was supposed to bring a lot of cost savings,” said City Councilman Mark F. Craig, I-4th Ward. “We talked about doing an audit and hiring more firefighters and all these things, and so far nothing has materialized. We need to do more than say this is going to happen and discuss stuff that is not.”

City officials have taken much criticism since minimum manning dropped, mainly because the move has essentially closed Fire Station No. 2 on Broad Street. While not officially closed, Pronesti said the station has not opened since April because of staffing levels.

Nonetheless, Grace said he doesn’t regret lowering minimum manning. The decision was about more then just overtime. It was about the overall budget of the department, including personnel and equipment, he said.

“Money only goes so far, and I had to make those tough decision, and in that time I can say that Elyria still has one of the best departments in Ohio,” he said.

Grace said this year’s overtime costs also include about $50,000 in retroactive pay firefighters were owed when their 2006 contract was finally signed this year. In addition, firefighters covering for those on medical leave and in Iraq have caused overtime to go beyond what was budgeted. However, as three of the six firefighters on medical leave are expected to return by the fall, overtime expenses should level off by year’s end, he said.

But that doesn’t mean Grace is unwilling to admit new hires have to be made in the department.

He is looking at hiring between four and eight firefighters, he said. The actual number of new hires and when they will come on board depends on city finances, he said.

“It will be about finding ways to cut costs in other areas,” he said.

Pronesti said overtime will stay at elevated levels as long as city officials refuse to hire more fire personnel.

The Fire Department operates with three rotating shifts, he said. However, because it’s down seven firefighters who are on military deployments or medical leaves, there are barely enough firefighters to provide minimum manning.

“We’re not using overtime for emergencies or when people unexpectedly call in sick. We’re using it just to staff the department and get 14 people here,” Pronesti said. “We’re using it to cover contractual time off.”

Of the six firefighters on medical leave, Pronesti said three will probably not return to work, as each has applied for disability compensation from the state. In addition, the Fire Department anticipates several retirements — at least two firefighters in early 2009 and the possibility of nine more retiring in 2010.

“The bottom line is we need to hire as soon as possible to get personnel back up to where it should be,” Pronesti said.

“We’ve got to stabilize the department, and we have to do it sooner, rather than later. I understand that the economy dictates a lot, but fire and medical emergencies don’t care about the economy, and we still have to go out the door every time someone calls.”

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

 

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