Crime & Safety

Race is on to Save Ferndale Firefighter Positions

The Fire Department has until Dec. 31 to find a sustainable source of funding for four positions that had been considered for layoffs; partnering with neighboring communities to cut costs and forming a tax authority are options.

The race is on for the Ferndale Fire Department to find a sustainable source of funding for four firefighter positions that have been preserved through Dec. 31.

A larger-than-expected decline in taxable values, paired with the expiration of a grant that has funded the positions for the past two years, forced the city to consider laying off firefighters as it budgeted for fiscal years 2013-14 and 2014-15. However, the decision has been put on hold through the end of 2013 to give the Fire Department an opportunity to find new funding.

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"City Council agreed to allocate $176,000 of fund balance to preserve 4 SAFER-grant fire fighters until December 31, 2013," City Manager April Lynch wrote in the budget. "For FYE 2015, staff has been instructed to aggressively analyze our business practices and pursue cost saving measures that will help us avoid a projected transfer of $461,000 of fund balance to offset structural deficits."

Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan said the following possible solutions are among those under consideration.

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  • Forming a functional authority: The move would allow the Ferndale Fire Department to share resources with neighboring communities, which could be implemented before the deadline. Formation of a functional authority would be a short-term cost-cutting measure, he said.
  • Forming a tax authority: The move would shift Fire Department funding out of Ferndale's general fund and provide a dedicated revenue stream, similar to how the Ferndale Public Library is funded. Formation of a tax authority could take up to 2 years and would require voters' approval. "It would be a long-term solution for emergency response," Sullivan said.

If a solid plan is in place by Dec. 31, the firefighter positions may be spared until it can be implemented, Sullivan said.

"There'll be a lot of talking to do," he said. "It's pretty much like building a house: First you get the plans drawn up. Then you sit down and talk about it. Then you actually build it."


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