Allen Park to lay off entire fire dept.

Last Updated: February 23. 2011 12:57PM
Santiago Esparza / The Detroit News

Allen Park— Police and fire services in this Downriver community are facing big cuts, especially in the fire department, where city officials want to eliminate all positions to save money.

City Council members approved laying off the 25-person department Tuesday night. Notices will be mailed today announcing the layoffs in 30 days. Fire Department Chief Doug LaFond said he would be laid off as well.

"That is obviously not what we want," LaFond told The Detroit News this morning. "We want to continue to serve the residents."

Allen Park, like many other communities across the state, is dealing with decreasing property values and falling tax collections. Moreover, the city gave $1.2 million to a movie studio, Unity Studios, that later bolted for Detroit.

Allen Park, like other cities in Michigan, also faces proposed cuts in revenue sharing that are part of Gov. Rick Snyder's budget plan.

But LaFond questioned the need to eliminate his entire force to make up for shrinking revenue.

"The bottom line is there aren't any other cities in the state of Michigan that are eliminating fire departments because of it," LaFond said.

City officials haven't released how much in savings they want or a plan for alternative fire or police services.

Firefighters have a clause in their union contract requiring 30 days' notice before layoffs can take effect. Police officers don't have that clause and can be laid off at any time, LaFond said.

The fire chief said he did not believe the entire police department was being threatened with layoff, but said the police force is about double the size of his department and could see significant cuts.

Police Chief Dean Tamsen said this afternoon he hadn't received word of layoffs in his department, which has 45 officers. However, he said he "can't picture the city laying off firefighters and not police officers. That is wishful thinking."

The chief said he has met with his command staff to map out ways to provide police service if there are cuts.

Tamsen said rumors have circulated about how bad the city's finances are, but nothing solid has been reported. Meanwhile, he said he has watched as communities across Metro Detroit have made painful cuts to keep up with declining tax bases, shrinking state revenue sharing allotments and the auto industry downsizing.

"I have been doing this job for almost 30 years," Tamsen said. "One of the reasons I came in was job security. That is now gone. I would have never dreamed it would get to this."

Tamsen said many in the community blame the cuts on the failure of the studio deal, but he believes the city's money issues go beyond the money lent to the studio.

"We've never faced a situation like this," the police chief said. "It is horrible."

City officials said they would continue to look for other avenues than the layoffs, according to broadcast media reports.

LaFond said the firefighters' union last fall gave $800,000 in concessions that included eliminating pay raises for promotions and doing away with overtime after city officials told them it was needed to avoid harsher cuts.

"I guess that wasn't enough," LaFond said.

The firefighters union filed a grievance against the city, alleging that a position hasn't been filled as required under the contract, which includes the concessions negotiated last year and expires in March. Union president Jeff O'Riley said his local is willing to consider more concessions, but not before the city fills the position.

"You don't do this to families," he said. "They show no class or respect for the people who have given up so much for the city."

LaFond said his department's ambulance service generates $600,000 annually. He said collections are down, but times are tough and his department shouldn't lose firefighters because of it.

"They have singled us out," he said. "Other departments were able to make cuts through attrition and buyouts."

News of the cuts spread quickly through the community.

Resident Rose Reyes said she is nervous about the layoffs because the city hasn't released details about how public safety would be handled. Reyes, 33, who has lived in the city for six years, said the moves seem like bargaining tactics, which she said isn't fair to the firefighters, officers or residents.

"They are trying to bust the unions all around the United States," Reyes said. "I think that is pretty crummy of them if that is what they are doing. They are taking away our sense of security."

Allen Park Mayor Gary Burtka and City Administrator Eric C. Waidelich didn't return calls or e-mails by early this afternoon.

sesparza@detnews.com

(313) 222-2320

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110223 ... -fire-dept