The city of Auburn has closed its easternmost fire station. City Manager Mark Palesh announced Tuesday that the Auburn Fire Department will no longer operate from the station located on Frederick Street, near the Lake Avenue bridge.

The decision was effective on noon of the same day.

The department will now operate from its main station on Market Street and the secondary station on Clark Street. City officials say the decision will increase the department's efficiency and save money without hindering safety or response time. But some local residents are concerned about the move.

The closure partially adheres to a 2003 study by MMA Consulting Group of the department's efficiency. The study stated that the department should operate from a single central station or two locations on opposite ends of the city.

Palesh said the decision came after several months of planning. The move is his to make and does not require approval from city council, though he has discussed it with each of them, Palesh said. It is one of many new fire policies the city will undertake as it moves forward with regionalization and efficiency issues, he said.

“There will be more changes, and some of them will be even more dramatic,” said Palesh, who declined to elaborate.

Between utilities and decreases in fuel and maintenance costs, city officials estimate the closure will save more than $30,000 per year. That does not include an estimated $160,000 Palesh said could be earned by selling the property.

Fire Chief Mike Hammon informed fire department staff Tuesday morning about the closure.

“There were some nodding heads, and there were some long faces, too,” Hammon said.

City employees and department staff emptied the building and loaded equipment onto trucks through the day. By late afternoon, new locks were on the door and both the rescue truck and engine were relocated to the main station.

Firefighters at the station declined to comment on the closure.

The department will now operate two engine companies instead of three, and the city will still maintain the department's 15-person minimum for each shift, which is mandated by the union contract. Two firefighters from the closed station will man the rescue truck at headquarters and one will join the engine team at the Clark Street station, according to Hammon.

“No one is losing their job, and no one is being sent home,” he said.

The number of people on each engine company will jump from three to four, which Hammon said will increase their effectiveness at a fire or emergency scene. That extra person means one more firefighter with gear at the scene, he said, which will make up for any time it takes to drive from headquarters to the east or south side of town. The main station is located just less than one mile from the closed station.

Also, people on the scene will not have to wait for a second engine to engage a fire, he said. Safety procedures call for two people to fight a

No contract connections, manager says

The closure comes as tensions seem to be building between the city and firefighters union over contract negotiations. Auburn officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the current contract's 15-person minimum, which has caused a jump in overtime costs. But the city lost its chance to force the union into negotiations when it failed to give formal notification by the deadline. Now, union representatives can choose to enter negotiations or let the contract renew itself for another year.

Palesh said the decision has nothing to do with the contract negotiations, nor is it any sort of retaliatory measure. He has been considering it since last February, though he did not discuss any of the plans with union representatives before closing the station, he said.

“When I ask the union (about ways) we can do things better, the next day we get hit with a grievance,” said Palesh, who added that he expects union representatives to file one over the decision. “That is what talking to the union has become.”

Local Auburn Professional Fire Fighters Local 1446 President Steve Parker did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment on the decision.

Future plans for the two fire stations do include steps to limit overtime spending and other costs. The city plans to hire four more firefighters, and Palesh said he will ask the Civil Service commission to allow lateral transfers for those employees. If allowed, the city would hire firefighters from another agency, which means they will be fully trained and certified. A judge recently granted the union a preliminary injunction preventing the city from using new, uncertified recruits as part of the 15-person minimum.

Officials estimate that lateral transfers will save the city $90,000 in decreased overtime and training hours in the first year.

The department will not authorize overtime for non-service activities such as basic firefighter training, supervisor training or greater alarms, according to Palesh and Hammon. And on top of curtailing overtime, a new policy will assign firefighters to physical activities and training sessions during their work block. The policy is meant to improve the physical effectiveness and condition of the fire staff, Palesh said.

“They are going to be working all day long,” Palesh said.

Some residents skeptical

Despite the city's claim that the new policy will not hurt response time, Auburn resident Irene Varga said she is not convinced. She runs a day care from her home on Augustus Street, and she said the station's location gave her a sense of security.

Varga said she was shocked when they heard the station was closing. Neighborhood residents found out Tuesday about the change through the news or by word of mouth, she said.

“Now (firefighters) have to come from downtown. What if they're busy?” Varga said. “I would have felt more comfortable if someone would have told us ahead of time.”

Across the street, Tom McCarthy did not hold his words back. He said the closure is a “horrible” idea.

Traffic can be congested down by the main station, and Genesee Street is pretty torn up, he said. If there is an emergency at the high school, responders have a straight shot from the Frederick Street station.

“It makes you wonder where our tax dollars are going,” said McCarthy, who has lived on Augustus Street for 13 years. “We give these officials a lot of tax dollars, and they don't even ask us what we think about this.”

But Auburn City Council member William Graney called for residents to give this a chance and think about it before taking a stance. Because the policy calls for each engine to be manned by one more person, it addresses an important safety issue, he said.

Graney added that he asked the city manager when he was first hired to implement aspects of the 2003 fire study.

“I'm sure there will be some knee-jerk reaction on it,” Graney said. “But if we can be calm, we can work through this thing.”

Mayor Michael Quill, a former fire chief, issued a written statement in response to the station's closure. The best interests of Auburn's residents must come first with any decision, and financial challenges have to be balanced with the city's safety, he stated.

“I am encouraging the city manager and staff to make every effort to communicate and be available to answer questions that citizens may have in light of this change,” Quill stated.

Quill did not elaborate on his statement Tuesday, but said he trusts that Palesh and Hammon have made this decision in the best interest of the city.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.

For video coverage

Visit www.auburnpub.com

‘Interim' title removed

On the same day Auburn City Manager Mark Palesh announced the closure of the Frederick Street fire station, he also officially appointed Mike Hammon as the permanent fire chief. Palesh announced the move on Tuesday night's edition of “Inside Government” with Guy Cosentino. Hammon had been appointed as interim fire chief pending the outcome of civil service testing.