The Dayton Daily News
WILMINGTON, Ohio — The city of Wilmington is cutting its fire department in half and laying off more than a dozen firefighters along with a similar number of police officers and several city staff members.
Jeremy Lane, vice president of the Firefighter’s Union, told a Cincinnati TV news station that the city eliminated 11 part-time firefighters Monday, April 12, and will layoff four full-time firefighters today, April 13.
Before the layoffs, the department had 33 part and full-time firefighters on staff, according to the TV news station.
Mayor David Raizk said he blamed the layoffs on decreasing revenues.
“In January, I stated in the State of the City report that we would have to address our falling revenue situation because we have a budget deficit-to-revenue of $1.9 million in the general fund,” he said.
“We have worked exhaustingly to find revenue and cost-cutting measures but since approximately 80 percent of our budget is personnel we have to make some tough, heartbreaking decisions,” he said.
Raizk said the city will also let go 15 police officers through attrition, one full-time and one part-time employee from parks and recreations, two full-time service department workers, and one full-time service administration worker.
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