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Sheridan Considers Cutting Its Fire Department

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Jun 17, 2009 2:23 pm US/Mountain

Sheridan Considers Cutting Its Fire Department

Reporting
Jennifer Miller
SHERIDAN, Colo. (CBS4) ― The recession is forcing the City of Sheridan to make some tough decisions. The city's revenues are down.

Sheridan has already made some cuts, but still has a $1.7 million shortfall next year, and now the city manager is considering getting rid of its fire department.

When a junkyard caught fire, Sheridan firefighters worked all through the night, trying to contain it. Now they are losing sleep again, trying to figure out how to save their jobs.

"Our goal is the citizens, make sure they're serviced," Lt. Michael Long said. "The second thing is, look at the budget. The other thing is the employees, obviously it's really hard."

In front of a room full of firefighters at a city meeting on Tuesday evening, City Manager A.J. Krieger proposed six money-saving options, including disbanding the fire department and dispatch and outsourcing services to another agency.

"We've got to make up not hundreds of dollars, not thousands of dollars, we've got to make up hundreds of thousands of dollars and we have six months to do it," Krieger said.

Revenues are off by about 20 percent and the city has already cut more than $1.3 million from this year's budget.

"Over time we've kind of coined a bit of a phrase and that is, 'If it's not breathing, we're going to cut it.' And we've done that," Krieger said.

Residents like Michael Weston don't like the idea of losing their firefighters. When Weston's grandfather suffered a fatal fall two years ago, the firefighters were the first to respond.

"They were here probably in ten seconds, it was one of those things where they picked him up, grabbed him and took him to the hospital," Weston said.

Neighbors say the firemen and their Christmas candy giveaway are part of their community.

"They hand out candy to every child in the neighborhood. They're great. They're great guys," Sheridan resident Beverly Graham said. "I don't want them to lose their jobs. That's a drag."

The firefighters say they'll do whatever they can to keep their jobs. The city is also considering furloughs -- one day a month for everyone starting next month.

The city still hasn't voted on how it will handle its budget crisis. It could take up the issue again next week.

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