City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: August 19, 2003

Item No. 18:   

Recommendation:  That the Common Council approves the hiring of three fire fighters as provided for in the 2003 budget.

Background: During the 2003 budget process the Fire Chief proposed a change in operations to reduce overtime.  That proposal had three major parts.  The first part was the switch to a joint dispatch center, the second was a change in staffing on the paramedic unit from 3 to 2, and the third was the addition of three fire fighters.  The City was not able to get concurrence from the fire fighter’s union on the staffing change as required by Milwaukee County.  This plan was not implemented because it required all three elements to be in place in order to achieve the overtime reduction.

Since April of this year the department has been seeking alternate solutions to achieve the overtime reductions while retaining the staffing on the paramedic unit at three personnel.  On July 29 Mayor Bolender hosted a meeting with the City Administrator, Council President, fire department management, and the fire union.  At that meeting an alternate plan was developed which reduced overtime and preserved the paramedic staffing at three.  The complete implementation of this plan requires the switch of fire dispatch to the joint dispatch center (which will require the addition of three dispatchers in addition to the one being added for police purposes) and the hiring of the three fire fighters.

In addition to the dollar cost of the overtime, the current staffing plan has created an unreasonable burden on the fire fighting staff because of the extensive time employees are being called in on emergencies.  Fire Department management and union believe that the call in time needs to be reduced.

Filling these positions now will allow us to implement the new staffing plan in part.  This will allow us to reduce some of the overtime.  However, until fire dispatching moves to the joint dispatch center, the full benefit of the staffing plan changes will not be available.

Fire management and the fire union share a concern that if these positions are filled that the City be confident that they will not be eliminated in the near future.  The candidates for these positions are currently employed and will be giving up those positions to start with us.

Fiscal Impact: 

The attached breakdown of 2003 budgeted funds shows one approximate method of calculating the effect of hiring both firefighters and dispatchers.

A shortfall will be part of the General Government budget, due to the unfunded hydrant rental fee, regardless of whether or not the firefighter positions are filled.  Surplus amounts throughout the department operating budgets can be used as an offset for any shortfall.

The 2003 Fire department budgeted amount for overtime is $255,000.  The overtime account would be reduced from the currently project estimate of $360,000, but not by the full amount that would result depending on when the joint police and fire dispatch is operational.

Prepared by: Gerard R. Hammernik Fire Chief	Respectfully submitted, Robert L. Kufrin City Administrator
Approved by: Gerard R. Hammernik Fire Chief	Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk

File name: S:\CLERK\COMMON COUNCIL AGENDAS\WEBSITE COMMON COUNCIL REPORT REVISED 4.Doc

Print Date: 8/15/2003 1:09PM

Revision No. 6