A legal dispute over staffing at the Everett Fire Department has been moved to the state Court of Appeals. The city of Everett is asking the court to overturn a decision by a state labor board. In October, the board ruled that the city can’t set minimum firefighter staffing levels without negotiating the numbers with the union. The union says staffing and safety are interconnected. The city says it needs to be able to control spending. The city’s appeal started in Snohomish County Superior Court. It was moved to a higher court earlier this month, in part because the findings could have effects on labor-related issues beyond Everett.