Fighting overtime with new firefighters

TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo City Council members passed a resolution Thursday endorsing the plan to hire 11 new firefighters in August that could save the city millions of dollars.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, though, does not like the idea, citing a lack of diversity.

The idea is to cut back on fire department overtime costs. In 2007, Toledo fire's overtime hit $1.8 million. In 2008, overtime jumped to $3.8 million. This year's estimates are as high as $4.2 million.

The 11 firefighters who would be hired have firefighting experience. They would only need three weeks of training, as opposed to the usual months-long process in August.

"If we hire them in August, they would basically cost northing because, in 2009, the reduction in overtime cost would pay their salaries," said City Council President Joe McNamara. "But in 2010, we'd save approximately $1 million."

To Council President McNamara it seems like common sense, but a memo from Mayor Finkbeiner arrived citing a lack of diversity in that list of 11 possible firefighters. The diversity problem could complicate some city agreements, Mr. Finkbeiner said in the letter.

Councilman McNamara said he's willing to make sure all parties are satisfied with situation.

"If we can get the money to hire further down that list, we can get that diversity in our workforce, because that's absolutely positively important," he said.

Councilman McNamara is not satisfied with the mayor's answer.

"The plan of doing nothing the mayor is suggesting doesn't get more minority firefighters happened, and it locks us into the skyrocketing overtime," he said. "We really need the mayor to work with council to come up with creative solutions instead of just saying no, no, no, no."