Mitchell Says Fire Dept. Issues Need To Be Put In Context

Protests over the City's rolling fire station brownouts are expected to begin Thursday afternoon outside of City Hall. Mayor Jon Mitchell says the situation regarding the Fire Department's budget needs to be put into context.

Speaking on his weekly radio program, Mitchell says his administration is negotiating with the fire union, and the scheduled brownouts are not going to last forever. "It's not a permanent state of affairs. It's a bridge to where we're going to be in a couple of years where we're going to be done constructing a new public safety station in the South End that would combine Stations 11 and 6," says Mitchell. He adds his administration has funded the department 18% more over last fiscal year, and it will likely receive more funding next fiscal year.

The Mayor has previously stated he expects the brownouts to continue until at least the end of the current fiscal year.

Mitchell says he feels positive about the City's application for a $4.6 million SAFER grant that would fund 21 firefighter positions for the next two years.