City manager explains budget issue

Dear editor:

I would appreciate the opportunity to respond to the recent letter to the editor in the Thursday, March 16, Nevada Daily Mail.

Over the past five years, the Nevada Fire Department has seen many changes.

These changes have included increased funding, increased training, new equipment, new responsibilities, and new administrative procedures.

Back in the year 2000, spending on fire personnel, supplies, training and equipment totaled $644,821.35. In 2001, this spending increased to $794,274.29. In 2002, the total was$725,516.66, and the following year our spending went up to $837,481.67. In 2004, it went to $861,317.45, and by 2005 it was up to $967,427.30.

As a resident of Nevada, and a public official who works for an elected City Council, I know that quality emergency services require money. When it comes to tax dollars, I am also conservative. My grandparents were from Stockton and Rockville, and they did not have a lot of money. It takes more than spending, and more spending, every year, to be successful.

Several years ago a federal lawsuit from a former Fire Department employee brought some internal Fire Department issues to our attention. We subsequently re-assigned clerical and records responsibilities from the Fire Department to a separate Communications and Records Department, supervisory training was expanded, and new policies were implemented. Personnel oversight by the city's human resources director ("City Hall") was also increased. These were important changes.

Our country's war on terror has lead to additional changes for the Fire Department. In addition to the challenges and dangers of fire fighting and rescue (typically accident extrication), our people are now responsible for handling hazardous materials response. In addition, our personnel are expected to support our friends and neighbors in a multi-county area.

These changes have reduced the Fire Department's autonomy. There are new pressures to share, communicate and co-ordinate the use of resources with other city departments and other agencies. This makes the job more complicated and requires different skills.

More changes are in the works. Our new Fire Chief Billy Jeffries has spent a lot of his time the past few weeks working on new mutual aid agreements with the Milo and Compton Junction Fire Departments. They have rural fire-fighting equipment we don't have, and we have equipment they need. So we share. With the Vernon County Ambulance District, Chief Jeffries is working on a joint training program where both agencies can draw from a shared pool of part-time EMT/firefighters who will be cross trained and experienced in the operations of both departments.

I know that these changes are a challenge. Chief Jeffries and I do not always agree with some of the positions and statements being made by the leadership of the local firefighters union. That is OK. We don't need to be disagreeable to disagree.

We will continue to talk about what we are doing. The improvements we are making, and the pride we have in our Fire Department, the support of our fellow city employees, and our emergency response partners from other agencies.

Teamwork is often a challenge, but that does not mean that you go it alone.

You just keep at it till the job is done.

-- Craig Hubler,

City Manager