Grant helps Mass. city keep substations open

By Patrick Anderson
The Gloucester Daily Times

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — An infusion of $388,125 in federal stimulus money — awarded by the state yesterday — could keep some Gloucester fire substations open next year in the face of continuing budget pressure.

The city was one of 85 communities, including Beverly, Danvers and Peabody, to receive a share of $17.8 million in federal dollars to maintain staffing levels in local fire and police departments.

Gloucester interim fire Chief Phil Dench, who has been working to keep 14 men on each shift within the $200,000 overtime budget for fiscal 2010, sounded relieved yesterday after learning the city had received the grant.

"Without the grant, we were struggling to maintain what we have," Dench said. "Staying within the overtime budget was going to be tough to maintain for a full year."

Dench said he planned to meet with city budget staff to decide how to stretch the stimulus money furthest. The grant is not expected to result in any new hires, Dench said, and would likely not mean opening Magnolia Station full time.

"Hopefully it will keep West Gloucester and Bay View open," Dench said. "Magnolia, I don't know."

The city uses overtime to maintain staffing levels and keep the three outlying stations open as firefighters take vacations or are out sick.

In the new collective bargaining agreement signed this year, the city agreed to keep 14 men on duty, compared to 18 in the previous contract.

"This gives us the basis to start building back public safety services," said Mayor Carolyn Kirk yesterday. "Hopefully that gets us through the worst of the crisis. The first priority is to fulfill the collective bargaining agreement, then a spending plan that helps us bridge to a better day."

Of the $17.8 million in grants announced yesterday by Gov. Deval Patrick, $11.6 million went to fire departments and the remaining $6.2 million went to local police departments. Gloucester was not one of the 35 communities to receive a police grant.

Gloucester took the largest award among other North Shore communities. Beverly received $129,509, Danvers $39,214, and Peabody $76,405.

Copyright 2009