State weighs in on firefighter’s recall

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

campbell

The mayor took his frustrations about the possible laying off of a recently recalled firefighter to a state commission that is overseeing the city’s spending.

Commission chairman Paul Marshall told Mayor George Krinos, however, that the layoff would be necessary if there are no funds for the position.

The commission, which oversees the city because it is in fiscal emergency, met Thursday with city officials.

Krinos has been complaining that a budget he proposed to council had funds for a firefighter he recalled from one of four laid off because of the city’s financial crisis. City finance director Sherman Miles and council members altered that budget proposal without his input, he has said, and the money for the firefighter is no longer there.

Miles has responded that Krinos was able to appropriate the money in the general fund for the firefighter’s salary by moving finance- department salaries to the park fund, which is inappropriate. He said state auditors agree with him on that point.

Krinos recalled the firefighter as the city learned its Insurance Services Office rating was dropping to a 10 from a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

The ISO rating affects homeowners’ insurance rates.

Krinos said that laying off the firefighter is not going to help the city, especially in light of the ISO rating.

Marshall responded with exasperation. He has made a point of saying the commission will not get involved in running the city beyond making sure budget appropriations are consistent with a mandated financial recovery plan.

“Mayor, this commission doesn’t get into specifics of appropriations,” he said.

“I know,” said Krinos, who went on to say that he “personally approached council and asked them to entertain a specific budget.”

“We can’t say the mayor’s plan or the council’s plan is superior,” Marshall responded.

“I’m frustrated with certain circumstances,” Krinos said. “I’m looking at not just a balanced budget. We have services we can’t provide.”

“You don’t have the money, mayor,” Marshall responded. “This city is broke.”

He also told Krinos that as mayor, he only proposes budgets. “Council is the ultimate decider,” Marshall said.

To get out of fiscal emergency, the city has to project healthy budgets for the next five years — Marshall pointed out that isn’t the case.

“In the five-year forecast, you still have deficits,” he said.

“It sounds as if sooner or later, there isn’t going to be a city,” Krinos said.

“There’s going to have to be some difficult decisions made,” Marshall said. “We recommended five years ago you go to a volunteer fire department.”

Marshall told Krinos in December that authorizing the firefighter’s recall would not be consistent with the city’s present recovery plan, which calls for cutting five employees in the fire department. The city is working on a new recovery plan. The plan will be presented to the commission April 26.