The Mattoon City Council and the firefighters union may temporarily reduce the emergency medical technician (EMT) certification requirements for new firefighters to expedite hiring. The council will consider approving a memorandum of understanding with Mattoon Firefighters Local 691 during the council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The council also will consider allocating more than $90,000 in midtown tax increment financing fund grants for exterior improvements to three buildings in this business district. Regarding the memorandum, this proposed document will temporarily reduce the minimum certification requirement for newly hired firefighters from EMT-paramedic to EMT-basic. The union has called for the city to bring staffing back up to 30 firefighters as required by the current contract, which was set to expire in 2018 but is still in place until a new contract is reached.