Budget outlines plan to pay for 15 Reno firefighter jobs

"We were able to find enough money to keep 15 people employed, so rather than 50 (layoffs) we're looking at 35," said Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez

Reno Gazette Journal

RENO, Nev. — Budget talks are underway for the city of Reno and include a plan to pay off the remaining debt on Reno City Hall using one-time money from the Regional Transportation Commission — a move that could help retain 15 firefighter positions.

The Reno City Council is expected to make a decision on the city's $352 million budget for fiscal year 2014-15 a month from now. That includes the city's $160 million general fund budget that will no longer have funding from a federal grant that was paying for 50 firefighter positions.

Because the city will no longer receive funding through the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Repose grant, something that had paid for those 50 firefighter salaries for the past two years (including an additional 14 firefighter positions that were eliminated as a result of retirements), Reno is now facing 35 firefighters layoffs in the coming weeks.

Full story: Budget outlines plan to pay for 15 Reno firefighter jobs