Second Ward Councilman Mike Johnson served notice he and what he said is a majority of City Council members will oppose a fire department application for another Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant for manpower in the department.
“Last November Fire Chief Carlo Capaldi said he would cut his numbers through attrition. Now he wants to apply for another S.A.F.E.R. grant and that will mean he will have to hire new firefighters to meet the grant requirements. I believe City Council is against the S.A.F.E.R. grant and I believe the council will deny that grant if it is awarded to the city,” Johnson said during a Saturday morning council finance workshop meeting.
“You have to understand we can refuse the S.A.F.E.R. grant, but the fire department has a contract with minimum manning language,” City Manager Jim Mavromatis responded. “If you don’t have the S.A.F.E.R. grant and lose nine people you still don’t save money. The true issue is what we need for staffing.”
Johnson said, “I look at Weirton who is a city of a similar size as Steubenville and they have 23 firefighters and pay $900,000 less than we do in salaries.”
“Our goal is not to have anyone laid-off,” noted 6th Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna.