By Kim Hackett
The Sarasota Herald Tribune
VENICE, Fla. — A proposed cut of $2 million from emergency services to balance next year’s budget brought a heated response from the fire chief, who says residents will be at risk.
“It will have catastrophic impacts to the service level provided to our community,” said Chief John Reed in a letter to Acting City Manager Nancy Woodley Tuesday. “It will also compromise the life safety of our citizens and responders.”
The Fire Department will have to cut $1 million out of its $5.5 million budget, Reed said, and he proposed laying off eight people including medics, a deputy fire chief and the fire marshal, which means not having enough staff to operate all three fire stations.
That could mean intermittently closing a fire station some days, said Jerry Collins, president of the firefighter’s union.
“It’s going to put the public in danger,” Collins said. “Minutes mean lives.”
The fire chief’s memo brought a quick rebuke from a council member who says the chief should not “be putting fear into residents.”
“It’s too early to say” what will be cut because the council has not had budget talks yet, said Councilwoman Jeanette Gates. “I am not saying there are not going to be cuts.”
Police Chief Tom McNulty, who also has to cut $1 million from the department’s budget, was not as dire in his predictions. He said police officials kept about seven jobs unfilled, knowing cuts were coming.
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