Wash. Firefighters to Lose Jobs in Budget-Cutting Plan

WENATCHEE, Wash. -- Mayor Frank Kuntz unveiled a budget-cutting plan Thursday night that will lay off eight firefighters, three police officers and a clerk and nearly all of the museum staff by mid summer.

Kuntz said the cuts were necessary to fix a projected $1.5 million shortfall in the city's budget caused by shrinking tax revenues, rising employee costs and the Town Toyota Center. He partially blamed the need for the cuts on the unwillingness of employee unions to allow reductions in costly employee benefits.

"I understand that it's not --" Kuntz started to say, and several people in the standing-room-only audience shouted out "Fair!"

"But I have to balance a budget. I have to make the decision. It wasn't those guys," he said, pointing to the seven City Council members sitting behind him. "That is my decision and it stands for the remaining part of this year."

Kuntz then left the meeting without taking any questions amid a chorus of shouts from city employees and their families.

The scene in the City Council chambers was emotionally charged. Several on-duty and off-duty fireman and their wives -- many holding babies and small children in their arms -- yelled their reactions to city leaders.

Most of the council members stayed to field questions and reactions.

"I don't know any way to make it better," Councilwoman Karen Rutherford said with tears in her eyes, blaming the need for the cuts on poor decisions made in the past few years by the City Council.

"I apologize for past really crappy decisions," she added. "Do I want to cut eight firemen? No. Do I support the mayor in his incredibly difficult decision? Yes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the young families in the union."

Police Chief Tom Robbins said he has notified three police officers and one police records clerk that they will lose their jobs at the end of July.

Kuntz said he made the recommendation to Fire Chief Stan Smoke that he reduce his staffing from 28 to 20 firefighters.

"They are taking the backbone out of the fire department," said fireman Pete Rigelman, vice president of Wenatchee Firefighters Local 453.

Kuntz said the fire department will no longer respond to emergency medical calls, and that the city will contract with private ambulance companies to provide that service.

Kuntz said he believes that of the 2,600 emergency calls the fire department handles each year, they really only need to respond to 700 to 750 of them.

Museum Director Brenda Abney said four of the five museum employees will be laid off, leaving only herself to run the operation. She did not want to comment on what that will do to museum services.

A frustrated Councilman Tony Veeder told employees after the meeting, "We're doing the best we can. ... Do you want us to rob Peter to pay Paul? Where do you want it (the money) to come from?"

Copyright 2012 - The Wenatchee World, Wash.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service