Trustee plan avoids firefighter cuts

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Lawrence Township is fighting back from what its trustee calls "the perfect storm."

Financial problems have pushed the township's fire department toward a nearly $6 million deficit. So Monday night, the trustee presented a plan to cut that by about $3 million -- without layoffs.

Trustee Russell Brown said he inherited the problem when he took the job last month and now he's trying to correct it.

"An unmanageable fiscal problem is what I confronted when I walked through the doors," Brown said.

Brown said personnel is the biggest part of the fire department's budget. So, saying "no lay-offs" doesn't mean his plan comes without pain.

"This is a process that has resulted from revenues staying static and expenditures continuing to rise. This did not happen overnight and it's not going to be solved overnight," he said.

Brown starts with a 10.5 percent pay cut. Then, firefighters will be expected to cover more of their health care costs and will lose benefits such as holiday bonus pay.

The plan does come with the loss of several jobs.

"The chief's office has reduced front office staff with the elimination of four administrative positions, saving approximately $80,000 in salary," said Brown.

One board member argued that the plan aims for too much, too soon. But, the board approved it in spite of concerns about the plan.

One firefighter said, "We do this because we love it. We're here for the public. When that bell goes off, we respond and we do our job no matter what."

There are still some elements of the plan to be negotiated.

The cuts are scheduled to take effect January 1.

Brown added that the township also will submit a resolution proposing a merger with the Indianapolis Fire Department. He predicts that's a year off.