By PETER HUSSMANN
As the City of Newton welcomes two new employees to its fold, the council will discuss the staffing process prior to acting on a resolution tonight that would allow the Newton Fire Department to apply for grant money to fund the staffing of two additional firefighters.
New Public Works Director Keith Laube begins work on Tuesday while Christopher Dunkin began his duties as a Newton Police Officer last week. Dunkin has signed a four-year sliding scale contract that states he will reimburse the city for training and equipment expenses if he leaves before his four years are up.
The council will discuss city staffing before it takes up the question of applying for a FEMA-sponsored Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.
The grant provides recipient city fire departments with 100 percent of the cost of salaries and benefits of newly hired firefighters for a two-year period. However, the grant does require the city to maintain any positions hired through the grant for an additional third year at city cost.
During last year's budgeting process, the Newton Fire Department's authorized staffing level was reduced from 25 to 22. The department lost a Battalion Chief and two firefighter positions through attrition between March and October 2009.
In his report to the council, City Administrator Tom Wardlow said chances of receiving the grant are low.
"Although the estimated chance for the Newton Fire Department to be approved is low (4 percent), staff believes that there can be a good case presented on the effects of a 12 percent staffing reduction in regards to citizen and firefighter health and safety," Wardlow wrote.
Also on the agenda tonight is an addition to an ordinance pertaining to the use of barbecue pits, fireplaces and stoves that adds language that protects adjoining property owners from the odors emanating from their use. The change is being requested after complaints were made from a local school due to odors coming into the school's air system from an adjoining property owner's use of a woodburning stove.
Finally, the council release a deed restriction on property in the 2000 block of First Avenue East the city sold to Scott Farver in order to make way for the development of a new dental clinic by Dr. Steve Rabedeaux. Discussion on a plan for a dog park at Westwood Park will be held.
The council meets at 5:30 p.m.
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