Council Battles Budget
posted 11:25 pm Tue April 15, 2008 - Lynchburg, VA
reporter:
Jeremy Mills
posted by:
Webteam
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Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. The Lynchburg Fire Department (web) found that out Tuesday at city council's budget work session. The department requested almost $50,000 to hire a new Fire Marshal.
So, where will that money come from? That's the $49,704 question. City Manager Kimball Payne originally recommended against the new position because he said the budget is too tight. Now that the mayor and council want it, he has to find some room. Kimball Payne says he can make it happen.
Kimball Payne, Lynchburg Manager - "We can find $50,000 from the budget if that is the council's intent. I would like to see that."
Those funds will go toward a new Fire Marshal to help the city increase its number of safety inspections. The Lynchburg Firefighter's Association says last year, they conducted only 10% of the city's State Fire Code Inspections.
Chief Brad Ferguson, Lynchburg Fire Department - "We try to get to every building but we just can't do it."
Jason Campbell, Lynchburg Fire Fighters Association President - "At the end of the day it could cost someone their life."
That's why the city is so serious about adding the position. But the money to pay for it could end up coming out of the Fire Department's other budget items. Things like new equipment or training time.
Campbell - "It's always a big balancing act and the money will have to come from somewhere, I'm sure that they'll be looking at the fire department's budget, other areas within the fire department's budget itself to find the $49,700."
Chief Brad Ferguson, Lynchburg Fire Department - "I don't want the fire department to receive this position at the detriment of the city you know and other employees, that's not the intent here, the intent is to see if we can find the money somewhere else that you know is of less important need to try and help us with this position."
City firefighters say they expect at least some of the $50,000 will come out of the department's budget. But right now, they have to wait and see. The city manager will present his new budget figures at the budget work session next Tuesday.
And that $50,000 is part of council's budget list. It's one of only two items that weren't in the city manager's budget, that will get money. Council did approve $92,000 to give city employees a three percent raise. The City Manager requested a two-percent raise -- council upped that.
Other items council looked at including that did not make it -- Five additional police officers and a vehicle to the department, funding for the Johnson Health Center, Public Access television and a prevention specialist for Juvenile Services.
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