Sycamore fire budget to be approved, layoffs to follow

[Box 2565]

Sycamore fire budget to be approved, layoffs to follow
After a change this morning to the agenda, Sycamore Township’s Board of Trustees will be discussing, and likely voting on, the fire chief’s budget proposal at tonight’s meeting.

Board of Trustees President Tom Weidman said that Fire Chief William Jetter’s fire proposal, which was submitted two weeks ago, will likely be accepted by the board. The proposal, which calls for laying off all part-time firefighters and 14 full-time, lists the budget total at just over $3.2 million.

Township Administrator Bruce Raabe said he added the budget to the agenda this morning to its own discussion item. He said they will definitely discuss the budget, but Weidman said he suspects “we will probably vote,” and suspects “we will probably approve the plan submitted by Chief Jetter.”

Weidman said he plans on voting to approve the budget, but cannot speak for trustees Clff Bishop and Dennis Connor. If approved, firefighters who are subject to layoffs will be informed they will be laid offat the end of 45 days, and laid off full-time firefighters will have 15 days to inform the township in writing that they want to fill one of the part-time positions which will be refilled, Raabe said.

In addition to the 14 full-time, Sycamore Township will lay off about 70 to 100 part-time firefighters if the budget is approved. Layoffs are determined by seniority, which is specified in the contract agreed upon by the union and the township

“It meets the requirements of living within the means of $3.3 million,” Weidman said about why he will vote to approve the proposal. “We’ve known all along that’s where we have to meet.”

Weidman added he has been going door-to-door for a couple of months and talking to “hundreds” of residents about the budget, saying a “clear majority” has expressed that they do not want more taxes.

Green Township firefighter and union representative Chris Godfrey said he was informed that the Board of Trustees would be voting on the budget at tonight’s meeting at the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, or OAPFF, bi-annual conference, which is being held downtown.

After hearing about the potential vote from a Sycamore Township firefighter, he sent a message to firefighters in his department encouraging them to attend the meeting. About 300 local and state union leaders are attending the conference, and plans for attendees to go to the meeting were discussed, Godfrey said.

“The chances of all 300 showing are pretty slim, but there will definitely be a strong presence there tonight,” he added.

Sycamore Township’s Board of Trustees meeting begins at 7 p.m. tonight at the Township Administration Building, 8540 Kenwood Road.

The Cincinnati Enquirer - 05/16/12

[OlRoy]

How many full-time firefighters will Sycamore Twp. have left?  From the numbers in the article, it sounds like they're laying off the whole fire department. 

OlRoy