Dueling documents show sharp lines between career & volunteer forces on budget cutting ideas in Montgomery County, MD.
Read cost saving proposal from the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association (MCVFRA)
Read Montgomery County Fire Service (MCFRS) response to MCVFRA proposal
Read MCVFRA response to MCFRS response
The end of last week saw a flurry of activity in Montgomery County, Maryland as dueling plans to cut money from the fire department’s budget were presented to the County Council. We had previously shown you the November 14 memo from Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MCFRS) Acting Chief Richard Bowers outlining almost $2 million in cuts from the FY09 budget.
The Montgomery County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association (MCVFRA) thinks it has a better idea. It responded with its own cost saving proposal that includes, reducing four-person staffing to three, cuts in take home cars for career personnel, having volunteers fill in on some supervisory and command roles, reduce the number of executive officers assigned to the fire chief’s office, and eliminate the PIO position with the role filled by the volunteer companies.
Chief Bowers responded on Friday, defending the cuts proposed by MCVFRA officials. Now there is a reaction to that document from MCVFRA.
Behind all of this has been MCVFRA’s opposition to the recent ambulance fee legislation. The department had hoped to bring in $14 million in the first year of billing. The County Council tabled the measure after heavy lobbying by the volunteers.
That action has prompted the career side to walk away from budget negotiations. According to The Washington Post, John Sparks, president of the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association, called a proposal by council member Phil Andrews to use revenue from speed and red light cameras to pay for fire equipment “an illusionary proposition”.
