The nearly 20 percent of the Hemet Fire Department staff facing layoffs in September will get a reprieve, and could have their jobs saved if the city approves the firefighters union's proposal to cut the budget in other ways.
Nine firefighter jobs are scheduled to be cut Sept. 20, after a federal grant expires and the city is no longer able to fund the positions. The Fire Department has been trying to trim $880,000 from this year's operating budget to avoid the layoffs, and is nearly there.
Interim City Manager Mark Orme said Aug. 23 that city staff has more research to do before it can present the information to the City Council, which has the final say.
The city would have to issue pink slips by Sept. 3 to notify the nine firefighters that they are losing their jobs as of Sept. 20. However, unless a special meeting is called, the council is not likely to confer on the layoffs or ratify the union's contract proposal until Sept. 11.
"We need to allow the council to have every last piece of information to make a good decision for this community," Orme said. "This is not something that you guess at."
The Fire Department is saving about $450,000 by restructuring some staffing and equipment levels, and Steve Sandefer, president of the Hemet Firefighters Association, said that figure will reach more than $750,000 with the proposed contract the union is offering in exchange for saving the jobs.
The City Council previously indicated that if the department could get close to the $880,000 figure, the council would strongly consider tapping into reserve funds to cover the difference.
If the city were to lay off nine firefighters, officials have said it would probably have to close one station.
At any given time, one-third of the city's 48 firefighters are on duty - including a manager - during 48-hour shifts.
"Our offer is fair," Sandefer said. "It's in the best interest of the citizens, the city, the firefighters and it solves their problem."
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