SALEM Fire chief explains what caused use of most of overtime budget

SALEM -- Fire Chief Walt Greenamyer explained to city council that the high overtime costs for his department this year stem from several reasons, including sick leaves.
Greenamyer recently submitted a report on overtime that council requested in early June after noting that the department already had used up much of its $60,000 2003 budget allocation for overtime.
Council questioned Greenamyer about the report at Tuesday's council meeting.
The document notes that through May 30, the department tallied $50,490 in overtime. The overtime was broken down as follows: $1,878 for fighting fires; $17,612 for personnel to fill in for ailing Capt. Dennis Groves, who suffered a heart attack in December and recently retired; and $31,000 to cover for sick leaves and time off for funerals.
Overtime often stems from a department requirement that four firefighters be available at all times to battle fires.
If someone is absent, another firefighter has to work overtime to satisfy the four-person requirement.
Some council members wanted to know why Greenamyer doesn't fill in, which would reduce overtime costs.
The chief noted that he must be able to supervise the fighting of a fire, which he couldn't do if he were involved in the actual battling of a blaze.