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Youngstown administration wants to eliminate two of the fire department’s battalion chiefs through attrition
YOUNGSTOWN
The city administration is proposing the elimination of two of the fire department’s six battalion chiefs through attrition, with the money saved being used to improve its radio system.
Because the reduction in battalion chiefs is contingent on retirements, fire Chief Barry Finley estimated it would be about 18 months before two positions are eliminated. But he said one battalion chief is expected to leave at the end of the year.
“The reason I’m doing this is, we don’t have as many fires as we used to,” Finley said Wednesday.
He added: “It comes down to money.”
Finley will discuss the plan further today at a 5 p.m. city council safety committee meeting.
It would cost $285,000 to improve the radio system, Finley said. It would take until about June 2020 for the Federal Communications Commission to approve radio lines for the department to use, he said, and he didn’t know how much longer after that it would be to install the equipment.
The money saved from the reduction of two battalion chiefs would fund the radio system improvements.
The fire department currently has a staff of 124.
Finley said at a February city council meeting that the existing digital radio system, purchased as part of a deal for a new police department system, had not properly worked since it was purchased two years ago. Modifications were made, he said, in recent months to make the system work better.
The radio system was the subject of a grievance filed by the firefighters union earlier this year after two firefighters were injured. The grievance wasn’t resolved, and the firefighters union filed a complaint with an arbitrator over the issue.
Charlie Smith, firefighters union president, declined Wednesday to comment to The Vindicator.
But two firefighters, who asked not to be identified, said they strongly disagree with the decision to cut two of the battalion chief jobs because it’s a safety concern, the union was told the radio system upgrades were coming, and morale in the department is bad.
Finley said reducing battalion chiefs isn’t a safety issue.
In October 2018, the administration chose to remove one firetruck from service to save money – three captain and three lieutenant positions were eliminated – and allowed the department to free up its staff to take on duties at other fire stations. During the three months prior, the department had closed stations on a rotating basis to curb overtime spending.
The changes resulted in a savings of about $175,000 this year among salary, benefits and overtime, according to the city’s finance department.
Meanwhile, at Wednesday’s council meeting, the legislative body voted to accept a $1,875,000, 15-year deal with the Raymond John Wean Foundation to name the riverfront park that includes the new amphitheater after the organization.
The board of control today is expected to finalize the deal – to be paid $125,000 annually for 15 years – for the Raymond John Wean Foundation Park, which is expected to open next month.
The money would be used to maintain the park and pay the $40,000 annual salary for the community engagement and inclusion coordinator. Derrick McDowell of Youngstown was hired in May for that job.