The Kingston Professional Fire Fighters Association (KPFFA) approved a contract revision permitting part-time dispatchers to work in the department. They did this in part to help smooth the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant Chief Rick Salzmann secured. The Council’s Finance Committee approved acceptance of the grant by a 4-1 vote last week, with Alderman Landi dissenting.
I expect the Council will now overwhelmingly approval accepting the grant in the wake of the union vote. The KPFFA has demonstrated once again it is willing to work with city officials to help keep costs down. The FEMA grant, which allows the city to hire more firefighters with federal money, will help to hold down overtime costs, which conservatively hover around $100,000 annually.
Kingston Today 