The City of Watertown is considering adding additional firefighters.
The current staffing level is 64 line personnel — down two from the budgeted level due to recent retirements. Watertown Fire Chief Matt Timmerman said the most cost-effective staffing level would be 72.
"If you were to go to 72 line personnel after those personnel came online and started offsetting overtime, you'd be able to save about $100,000 annually," Timmerman said. "If you wanted to go with a lesser number, for example, if you wanted to move from 66 to 68, after the training time period, you could save about a little bit over $50,000 annually."
Timmerman said 87% of the overtime budget has already been spent in the first 58% of the year and expects overtime expenditures to reach $1.2 million by the end of the year.
"It would seem to me, for us to hire people for less money than what we're paying in overtime," Councilor Clifford Olney III said.
The council supported increasing staffing to 68 and overhiring in anticipation of future retirements later this year. They also supported pursuing a SAFER grant application which could also increase staffing. A budget resolution regarding the additional firefighters is set to be voted on at a future council meeting.
