NM fire chief declines staffing grant under pressure

By Jenny Kane
The Farmington Daily Times

BLOOMFIELD, N.M. — Fire chief George Duncan withdrew his request to pursue the hiring of four new paid firefighters Tuesday evening, after more than an hour of testimony from concerned citizens and city employees.

Duncan initially attempted to persuade councilors to approve the department's acceptance of a SAFER grant that would fund four new firefighters, each paid approximately $60,000 annually, including benefits. However, after city employees and Bloomfield residents approached the council with concerns about the future fiscal impacts of the grant's acceptance, Duncan requested that the item be withdrawn from the agenda, which was released the day of the meeting.

Councilors honored Duncan's request.

"The fear that is running through the city is palpable," said human resources director Julie Rasor. She said city employees feared that their jobs would be cut if the city accepted the grant. "We're putting people at risk."

Though few disputed the need for additional hires in the only department run by 75 percent volunteers, fewer stood up to defend the acceptance of a grant which would pay the hires for only two years. By the third year, the city would be responsible for any costs previously covered by the grant.

"If the economy was decent, this would be a hard decision.... This is not a hard decision," said city manager David Fuqua, who recommended that the council turn down the proposed approval.

The city's general fund budget has remained at $7.5 million during the past three years, Fuqua said, but the city's gross receipts income has not.

In the past two years, the city's gross receipts revenue has dropped by more than $1 million annually, leaving it about $5.9 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

"I've never been faced with a budget this short," Fuqua said. He projected that cuts could be made in upcoming years. "None of us here tonight have witnessed anything like it."

However, fire department officials did not entirely agree with projections. Considering savings made after reduced overtime pay and a new payment system for volunteers, the department could pay for its own hires by the third year, Duncan said.

"If I felt this was going to be a detriment to any of the employees, I wouldn't be standing here," Duncan said, explaining that he would not put other city employees' positions at stake.

"But don't anybody in this room tell me that we don't need these people."

One of the citizens to share Duncan's perspective was Calvin Partain, who said he had always assumed that the department was fully staffed. He said he was not aware until Monday that the department was often run by volunteers. "They're more interested in their jobs than if my home burns down," said Partain, who told the packed-full meeting room that he was 80 years old.

Councilors at the end of the night accepted Duncan's favor that the item be pulled from the agenda. Yet they reminded community members that Duncan's hope for additional hires was not vain, and that the need was real.

"The younger guys are the one's responding, and they're not as experienced," said councilor Pat Lucero, who also volunteers at the fire department.

The department will be receiving an additional hire funded mainly by surrounding oil and gas refineries interested in receiving the department's services. The city approved the hire last month in the previous meeting. About $60,000 in private will go to the new hire.

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