The final tally for the fire department’s overtime expenses hit more than $665,000 before the fiscal year ended on June 30.
City Comptroller James E. Mills confirmed that overtime increased about 42 percent, from about $468,000 the previous fiscal year.
And the cost for legal expenses has also gone up to $393,687. In addition, the $393,687 figure doesn’t include bills for May, June and July, because the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King has not submitted them yet, Mr. Mills said.
For the 2016-17 fiscal year, the city spent $230,087 in legal bills with the firm, he said.
Daniel Daugherty, president of the Watertown Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 191, wasn’t surprised that overtime and legal expenses are so high.