AUBURN -- The city council unanimously approved a measure that would keep money not spent on overtime at two departments' disposal to buy new equipment.

During Thursday's Auburn City Council meeting, city manager Mark Palesh received the nod to create two equipment funds to collect money earmarked for overtime for the Auburn police or fire departments.

Palesh plans to approach state and local elected officials to arrange for matching grants that would make the funds last longer. Also, putting up some money will give the city an edge over other communities without any cash to put up, he said.

Palesh has said he wants to replace all the Auburn Fire Department's vehicles within the next five years.

The money would have otherwise remained in the contingency fund, which does not roll over into the next year's budget.

Mayor Timothy Lattimore asked Fire Chief Mike Hammon why the department routinely has overtime costs.

Hammon responded the union contract requires an assistant chief to substitute for an assistant chief in the case of days off, for example. He added that when the new budget season kicks off next week, he will implement cost-cutting measures.

He estimated this year's figure for overtime will be nearly $400,000, a third less than last year. Past overtime costs skyrocketed past the budgeted amount because of illnesses and staff vacancies.

Read the full report in Friday's edition of The Citizen.