January 10, 2008
By KORIE WILKINS
FREE PRESS STAFF AUTHORS
After years of the financial Bedraengnisses, each city department was in Pontiac hit by temporary dismissals excluded one — die fire-brigade.
Die charter of the city shields die department from the temporary dismissals, by stopping the minimum requested personnel Die regulation dated to the early eighties, but to the mayor Clarence Phillips — who holds on with one $6.5-million budgetary deficit — said, which is it time, so that die terminates.
And Tuesday, voter decide are more whether, to the minimum filling of vacancies least one the feuerwehrmanns task per shift on for each 2,000 inhabitants to hold to.
Long-term Residentlarry Trammell said people necessity die quick answer and die capable hands of the feuerwehrmaenner in the urgencies.
“there is no Police department,” said Trammell, 53 already. “We does not know lose die fire-brigade, also.”
Kreuzkopfsaid, which it would like to reduce die feuerwehrmaenner of the department 122 by approximately 40%, close two fire stations and contract urgency-medical answer to private lock company.
Kreuzkopfsaid die changes will would permit die city over $5 million and with other, die attitude of more police officers to cuts to store.
more Over die last five years, department of Police of the city is to 89 swears to officers of approximately 180 shrunk, said Police Chief rough Valard. It said, if the minimum requested personnel for die fire-brigade is supported there, is more temporary dismissals: “it does not give to cut fatter.”
Crosshead, which said it must weigh all demands, said: “I try to keep die city over more water.”
But Rick Luxon, a fire captain and president of Pontiac feuerwehrmaenner Union Local 376, said cutting feuerwehrmaenner meant its average 3 1/2 - minuzioeses waiting time would know increase and endangered inhabitant. Kreuzkopfsaid, if the minimum requested personnel die city is supported, benoetigt either lay away from 40 further police officers or 50 employees more other in the urban departments.
And time is short. Die city must present a balanced budget to the condition end June.
Pontiac die only city with the minimum is not requested personnel. Kw_Andy Neumann said Southfield and Alpena also similar guidelines have condition fire marshal.
The condition does not subordinate that fire-brigades have a certain number of the personnel; it is left up to individual the communities, it said.
Pontiac community activist Mona yard master said die city — had die 17 homicide and an increasing number of robbery last year, according, in order to earn — in the terrible necessity more more surely police officers She said shes is die city can with few feuerwehrmaennern receive past.
Die Police department reacts to approximately 70,000 calls one year, rough said, with periods of reply to urgency calls on approximately 6 minutes. But nonemergency periods of reply can be hour or more, it said.
“if minimum manning we of the maintenance, we’ll into trouble is,” yard master said. “material trouble.”
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