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In a recent report published by Herald-review.com, Decatur is grappling with significant budget deficits that are set to impact several municipal departments, particularly the fire department. City Manager Ryan McCrady addressed these challenges during a briefing on Friday, revealing plans to eliminate 20 positions to address a $1.6 million shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year's budget.
Out of these cuts, six firefighter roles are among those being axed, alongside other critical positions such as two senior clerk typists, four clerk typists, a human relations officer, a human resources training officer, a plan examiner, a plan development manager, a senior long-range planner, a rehab construction specialist, and two engineering technicians. It’s worth noting that four of the firefighter positions were already vacant before the decision was made.
The layoffs will affect 12 employees directly, while another eight positions, either currently empty or soon to be vacated, will also cease operations. Employees received notice of these changes this week, with the cuts scheduled to take effect by the end of the city's fiscal year on December 31st. While all departments are expected to feel the pinch, McCrady noted that the police department, which usually doesn't utilize its full personnel budget, and the water department, which operates independently via user fees, are likely to remain untouched.
McCrady explained that the projected revenue shortfall stems from stagnant income streams like sales and food and beverage taxes, coupled with rising operational expenses, particularly a 10% hike in pension costs. As a result, the city will now operate with fewer resources, reducing its workforce from 490 employees to even fewer, a stark contrast to the 576 staff members it employed just five years ago.
Despite the reductions, the fire department won’t be closing any of its seven stations. However, there will be more instances of "brownouts," where certain fire engines will be temporarily shut down. Instead of maintaining nine operational fire companies, the city will now run with only eight at any given time. McCrady acknowledged that this could lead to longer response times in emergency situations, especially if multiple incidents occur simultaneously. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the city remains committed to ensuring public safety despite these unavoidable adjustments.
Meanwhile, Mayor Mike McElroy recently voiced concerns over the city’s ongoing strategy of cutting budgets, suggesting that the practice cannot persist indefinitely. City council members, however, have so far refrained from raising property taxes to offset these growing expenses, leaving residents and officials alike uncertain about the future trajectory of Decatur’s finances.