The Auburn Fire Department may lose its chance at getting another vehicle after workers' overtime expenses climbed during the past few weeks.
The Auburn City Council will revisit a decision it passed narrowly on Sept. 13 to purchase a pumper truck.
A month before, the council had agreed to buy a fire engine, so adding another truck to the city's order would save money at the factory, fire chief Mike Hammon said.
The city would pay for the trucks from savings in the department's overtime fund through a recently created incentive program. However, the increasing amounts of overtime for the past three pay periods has caused city manager Mark Palesh to become concerned.
During today's council meeting, Palesh plans to have council reconsider its agreement to buy the second truck with money that may not be there.
Hammon recognizes there was a spike in overtime payouts, but says the figures are on their way down. Usually, overtime costs hover around $12,000 to $14,000 for each pay period, but because of different situations, the figures have gone up for the past few weeks.
Hammon attributes the increase to the fires at the Highland Park Golf Club and a home on Pulaski Street, workers traveling for training, a firefighter who had surgery, and two firefighters who left.
“We're moving forward to keep it under control,” he said. This includes talking about lateral transfers, which would allow trained firefighters to move from a department into the city's department, to fill the two vacancies.
However, Palesh is waiting to finalize the lease agreement for the second truck until councilors reassess the situation.
“I'm going to update the council on my feelings and see what their feelings are,” Palesh said.
He declined to share his opinion, stating he would prefer to speak to council first.
Palesh said he is looking for something informal; a consensus from the council whether they would like to proceed with or delay buying the second pumper.
On Aug. 16, the council agreed to buy a $343,000 truck through American's LaFrance. Hammon included in the bid a provision that would allow the city to buy a second truck for the same price within a two-year period.
On Sept. 13, council agreed 3-2 to buy another pumper for the fire department for $314,000 from the same company. Councilors tabled the proposal more than once while debating buying a second vehicle.
Councilors William Graney and Matt Smith voted against the purchase, while Mayor Timothy Lattimore and councilors David Dempsey and Thomas McNabb voted for it.
Lattimore has said he wanted the department to explore contracts and bids that allow the city to make multiple purchases to take advantage of discounts and package deals.
Councilor David Dempsey agrees with the incentive program to encourage overtime savings, but sees the current staffing requirements detailed in the union contract as the root of the fiscal problem.
Hammon pointed to the current vacancies, rather than the set number of workers, as the real issue. Council will have to adhere to the contract until spring 2008.
“Obviously, this is turning out to be a huge disaster for the city - the 15-man minimum,” Dempsey said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Working Overtime
Saved money earmarked for overtime costs for the Auburn Fire Department can be redirected to an incentive program in which the city will use it to buy equipment for the department. The city agreed to buy two trucks for the department, but climbing overtime expenses has caused city manager Mark Palesh to plan bringing the agreement for the second truck back to council.
The following are the amounts the fire department has spent on overtime for the past six two-week pay periods.
Sep 28 $21,000
Sep 14 $29,000
Aug 31 $23,000
Aug 17 $13,000
Aug 3 $14,000
Jul 20 $8,000
A month before, the council had agreed to buy a fire engine, so adding another truck to the city's order would save money at the factory, fire chief Mike Hammon said.
The city would pay for the trucks from savings in the department's overtime fund through a recently created incentive program. However, the increasing amounts of overtime for the past three pay periods has caused city manager Mark Palesh to become concerned.
During today's council meeting, Palesh plans to have council reconsider its agreement to buy the second truck with money that may not be there.
Hammon recognizes there was a spike in overtime payouts, but says the figures are on their way down. Usually, overtime costs hover around $12,000 to $14,000 for each pay period, but because of different situations, the figures have gone up for the past few weeks.
Hammon attributes the increase to the fires at the Highland Park Golf Club and a home on Pulaski Street, workers traveling for training, a firefighter who had surgery, and two firefighters who left.
“We're moving forward to keep it under control,” he said. This includes talking about lateral transfers, which would allow trained firefighters to move from a department into the city's department, to fill the two vacancies.
However, Palesh is waiting to finalize the lease agreement for the second truck until councilors reassess the situation.
“I'm going to update the council on my feelings and see what their feelings are,” Palesh said.
He declined to share his opinion, stating he would prefer to speak to council first.
Palesh said he is looking for something informal; a consensus from the council whether they would like to proceed with or delay buying the second pumper.
On Aug. 16, the council agreed to buy a $343,000 truck through American's LaFrance. Hammon included in the bid a provision that would allow the city to buy a second truck for the same price within a two-year period.
On Sept. 13, council agreed 3-2 to buy another pumper for the fire department for $314,000 from the same company. Councilors tabled the proposal more than once while debating buying a second vehicle.
Councilors William Graney and Matt Smith voted against the purchase, while Mayor Timothy Lattimore and councilors David Dempsey and Thomas McNabb voted for it.
Lattimore has said he wanted the department to explore contracts and bids that allow the city to make multiple purchases to take advantage of discounts and package deals.
Councilor David Dempsey agrees with the incentive program to encourage overtime savings, but sees the current staffing requirements detailed in the union contract as the root of the fiscal problem.
Hammon pointed to the current vacancies, rather than the set number of workers, as the real issue. Council will have to adhere to the contract until spring 2008.
“Obviously, this is turning out to be a huge disaster for the city - the 15-man minimum,” Dempsey said.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Working Overtime
Saved money earmarked for overtime costs for the Auburn Fire Department can be redirected to an incentive program in which the city will use it to buy equipment for the department. The city agreed to buy two trucks for the department, but climbing overtime expenses has caused city manager Mark Palesh to plan bringing the agreement for the second truck back to council.
The following are the amounts the fire department has spent on overtime for the past six two-week pay periods.
Sep 28 $21,000
Sep 14 $29,000
Aug 31 $23,000
Aug 17 $13,000
Aug 3 $14,000
Jul 20 $8,000
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