By Sean Greene
The Orange County Register
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Layoff notices issued to Costa Mesa firefighters more than a year ago will likely be rescinded Tuesday.
Chief Executive Officer Tom Hatch has recommended that the City Council cancel the notices sent out to about 100 firefighters in March of last year, and instead focus on a new plan to reorganize the Fire Department that would both increase service levels and save money while maintaining an in-house staff, according to a city staff report.
“At this time, it is in the city’s best interest to discontinue the exploration of outside fire service providers and to focus efforts on internal restructuring and rescind layoff notices to affected Fire Department personnel,” the staff report, signed by Hatch, stated.
The city’s move to issue six-month layoff notices to about half its workforce last year thrust Costa Mesa into the national spotlight after the suicide of a maintenance worker who was pink-slipped.
For the Fire Department, about 90 sworn firefighters and 10 non-sworn staff received got notices.
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