City details expense cuts, fire department changes

The City of Beaumont is giving more details tonight about its decision to cut expenses in several city departments, including the fire department, due to a declining sales tax base.
 
City Manager Kyle Hayes says when December 2009 sales numbers came in two-times lower than planned, leaving the city with a $4 million dollar deficit, something had to be done.
    

He says even with a $30 million dollar "rainy day" fund, and potential royalties from recent gas discoveries, which have yet to be seen, the decision was made to cut expenses.

The fire department's overtime expenses are being targeted in the cuts.  Hayes says the goal is always to avoid emergency services from financial downsizing, but the police and fire departments in Beaumont account fror 50% of the budget, and had to be considered.

Fire Chief Anne Huff says to make those cuts, the minimum amount of firefighters required to report to duty has been dropped.. to avoid overtime.  The use of certain equipment in the Charlton Pollard area has also been altered, on a day-by-day basis, because it has the most amount of stations nearby.

But Chief Huff feels that filling several vacant positions, due to retirement, next month will keep use of that plan to a minimum.  However, Huff says if the plan is implemented often, insurance rates may increase slightly.

Both Hayes and Huff say this will not affect the quality of service for citizens, and it's the best plan, for now, not to affect your pocketbook either.

Hayes said, "There's a lot of families out there that are hurting, there's a lot of businesses that are hurting, across the country, and municipalities are not immune to those financial struggles.  We're gonna be fine, we're just gonna continue to be proactive and work it out."
 
Chief Huff said, "We think the plan is gonna work, I don't think the citizens are gonna see one, not a hint of difference in the response that they receive so we're just doing our part."

"Replacing four firefighters that have recently retired, will solve some of the problems, and the additional two will help.  But it still doesn't rectify the staffing shortage that's been created over the past ten years," said President of the Beaumont Firefighters' Association, Galen Key, "Placing the emergency equipment out of service, where people tend to not have homeowners insurance will be a detriment to the citizens and the community."

City Manager Kyle Hayes says he can't predict what the city's financial status will be when it comes time to set the tax rate, but City Council's recent history has shown tax rates decreasing two out of the last five years, while the other three years, council members left the rate untouched.