It's been nearly five years since Bay City's fire and police departments merged into a public safety agency.
Now, a City Commissioner is proposing to increase the number of full-time firefighters, a move that would drastically change the course of the combined department.
Commissioner Ed Clements, 8th Ward, has authored a resolution calling for the Bay City Department of Public Safety to staff no fewer than 22 full-time firefighters, instead of having a staff made up entirely of public safety officers who can fight fires and perform law enforcement tasks. Public Safety Director Michael J. Cecchini says such a move would be step backward and is unnecessary, with law enforcement needing increased staffing.