By Liz Zemba
The Tribune-Review
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Uniontown firefighters will meet with city officials today to discuss seven proposed layoffs.
This is the second time in the past year the department has faced the prospect of losing more than half of its complement of 13 paid firefighters.
Mayor Ed Fike has said 25 layoffs may be needed to balance the budget, including seven firefighters. Fike, who could not be reached yesterday, said earlier this month the city faces a $220,700 deficit without the layoffs.
Three firefighters were laid off in October 2008, followed by four in February. They were reinstated after the International Association of Firefighters Local 955 alleged in a grievance that the city did not give the required 30 days' notice. An agreement reached between the two sides guaranteed jobs for three of the firefighters through Sept. 18 and the four others through Dec. 31.
Fire Chief Chuck Coldren said the department will go into the meeting with the goal of working with the city to retain all of its employees.
"Hopefully, we can come to an amicable solution and keep everybody," Coldren said. "We are willing to do whatever we have to do to make it work."
Firefighters believe they have the support of the majority of the city's 12,422 residents.
"We have a petition going door to door, and we've heard nothing but good comments," said Capt. Mark Lovey, Local 955 president. "It's been overwhelming, with 85 to 90 percent of the people on our side."
Three former mayors, Paul Bortz Sr., Charles D. Machesky and Robert E. Jones, sent a letter to the current administration to ask that other spending cuts be considered before the fire department is touched. They said "providing services by a paid fire department is critical in ensuring the safety of our citizens."
Firefighters said a portion of their operating costs are self-funded, including permitting fees they collect as code inspectors. In 2007, those fees on a $50 million construction project at Uniontown Hospital generated $150,000, said Myron Nypaver, assistant chief.
With construction projects slated for 2010, including a new high school and a 40-unit apartment building, Nypaver estimated the inspections will generate $250,000 in permitting fees.
"Those revenues should offset the cost of running the department," said Nypaver, who estimated that cost at $865,000, or $170 per household.
Eighty percent of the department budget goes to salary and benefits, Nypaver said. The department typically seeks grants for equipment, including $216,000 in federal grants over the past five years.
If the city moves forward with the layoffs to cut costs, firefighters said the ultimate cost will be to safety — for themselves and for residents.
With the last round of layoffs, the department closed one of its two stations and scheduled two men per eight-hour shift. Firefighters had to wait for volunteers as backup before they could enter burning buildings, Lovey said. The department will no longer be able to guarantee an on-scene response time of three minutes or less.
Firefighters are using the Internet to help spread their message, posting content to Myspace, Facebook and at www.safeuniontown.com.
Copyright 2009 Tribune-Review 
