City to vote on grant extension to prevent layoffs of 9 firefighters

The SAFER grant fund has about $719,000 left after the city was given $1.9 million in 2011

MLive.com

JACKSON, Mich. — Nine Jackson firefighters could continue to draw paychecks through November 2015 instead of losing their jobs this summer, should Jackson City Council members allow it.

City officials are requesting council members allow for the extension of a federal allowance to retain the grant-funded positions. Distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and set to expire later this month, the SAFER grant fund has about $719,000 left after the city was given $1.9 million in 2011.

Jackson City Manager Patrick Burtch said the leftover funds are due to a delay in reaching a contract agreement with the firefighters union in 2011. Salary and fringe benefit reductions proved to have the greatest impact on expended grant funds.

Full story: Nine Jackson firefighters could keep their jobs, City Council to vote on grant extension