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Grant will fund four firefighters
Fire departments
in Melrose and Malden will receive free extra staffing over the next
two years through individual grants awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Melrose, which is slated to receive $464,464 in grant funding, still needs approval from the Board of Alderman to accept the funds, which would cover the salaries of four firefighters over a two-year period.
Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan said on Wednesday he will recommend acceptance of the funds - based on a waiver partially absolving the city from its responsibility to retain the four positions for one year after the grant expires.
Melrose, which is slated to receive $464,464 in grant funding, still needs approval from the Board of Alderman to accept the funds, which would cover the salaries of four firefighters over a two-year period.
Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan said on Wednesday he will recommend acceptance of the funds - based on a waiver partially absolving the city from its responsibility to retain the four positions for one year after the grant expires.
“I know I can afford two of them, but I'm very concerned [with the
other two],” he said on Wednesday. “We've got to make sure it's
sustainable.”
The waiver may not be necessary if retirements occur within the department over the next two years, as Dolan thinks they will. If the economy improves, the city may be able to fund all four positions from the budget, he said.
“The economy does seem to be improving,” he said. “But we've got to make an educated decision in order to safeguard the community and the new employees.”
The board will likely take up the issue at its May 3 meeting.
For Malden Fire Chief Michael Murphy, the decision to accept $768,956 in federal funds – enough to add six positions to the department - was a no-brainer. Since the funding will be used to replace positions lost last year due to budget cuts, the department is not required to fund them for a third year, he said.
Murphy, who has watched department numbers dwindle for the past several decades, said he hopes the city will be able to retain the new employees after the two-year grant expires. The department currently employees 115 firefighters, down from 121 last year and 144 a decade ago, Murphy said. Staffing shortages have curtailed his ability to ensure that a minimum of 22 firefighters are on duty at all times.
“Hopefully the economy will allow the city to fully fund the positions,” he said. “Firefighting is very dependent on manpower. It takes people to do the job [and] the equipment is heavy. It's a lot of manual labor.”
Murphy plans to have all six employees hired by July 1.
The waiver may not be necessary if retirements occur within the department over the next two years, as Dolan thinks they will. If the economy improves, the city may be able to fund all four positions from the budget, he said.
“The economy does seem to be improving,” he said. “But we've got to make an educated decision in order to safeguard the community and the new employees.”
The board will likely take up the issue at its May 3 meeting.
For Malden Fire Chief Michael Murphy, the decision to accept $768,956 in federal funds – enough to add six positions to the department - was a no-brainer. Since the funding will be used to replace positions lost last year due to budget cuts, the department is not required to fund them for a third year, he said.
Murphy, who has watched department numbers dwindle for the past several decades, said he hopes the city will be able to retain the new employees after the two-year grant expires. The department currently employees 115 firefighters, down from 121 last year and 144 a decade ago, Murphy said. Staffing shortages have curtailed his ability to ensure that a minimum of 22 firefighters are on duty at all times.
“Hopefully the economy will allow the city to fully fund the positions,” he said. “Firefighting is very dependent on manpower. It takes people to do the job [and] the equipment is heavy. It's a lot of manual labor.”
Murphy plans to have all six employees hired by July 1.
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