"I cannot conscientiously keep running the department that I feel is not properly manned," said Chief Tom Harris on Sunday. "I feel it's become a safety issue."
Harris said he gave his resignation letter to Mayor George Rouse Saturday.
City Council met Thursday to discuss the cash-strapped budget, which led to two layoffs in the public works department last week, as well as cancellation of this year's July Fourth fireworks and summer day camp.
In his letter to the mayor, dated March 6, Harris wrote, "The fact that we will be understaffed could result in the death of a citizen or injury and/or death to our personnel. ... It is irresponsible of this council to jeopardize lives so they can save face for a pool that the citizens would not have approved if they were given the chance to vote on it."
Rouse on Sunday called the assertion that the cutback would endanger lives "ridiculous," but would not elaborate.
Councilman Ken Cook said he didn't think cutting one part-time position would threaten residents' safety.
"It's not just the swimming pool; the main object is to have a reasonable carryover (of funds) at the end of the year," Cook said.
Councilman Bill DeBruler, however, said he wanted to look into Harris' concerns.
"Would I like to see the pool open? Yes, but not if it's going to be at the expense of public safety," DeBruler said.
The 26-person fire department has one full-time firefighter. Eleven part-timers share 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shifts; no more than four part-timers are on duty at a time. Fourteen volunteers, who are paid $75 a month for ambulance runs and $16-$18 per fire run, are on call evenings and weekends at home. Eliminating 60 part-time hours a week would save about $30,000 a year, according to Harris' figures.
Capt. Paul Young III, a volunteer firefighter, also turned in a resignation letter to the mayor Saturday, calling council's proposal "absurd."
