Claypool Looks At Budget, Hears Of Reduced Fire Dept. Coverage
Posted
Jordan Fouts-
CLAYPOOL – As the town prepares its 2015 budget, council was presented with a few options Monday for covering an $11,000 reduction. Claypool Clerk-Treasurer Connie Morgan said the state-ordered reduction could be covered by cutting $11,000 from the current budget for the rest of the year and then transferring it over, or by keeping the current budget as-is and transferring from a fund such as rainy day or Economic Development Income Tax. “If we take a reduction this year, we would really have to watch our spending,” she told council. “It would be tight.” She said she will have final figures ready for an administrative meeting set for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The 2015 budget will be published in early September, receive a public hearing Sept. 15 and be up for adoption Oct. 20. Council also heard Monday that Claypool Fire Chief Bob Haines has said the department is short-staffed and must temporarily reduce its hours of coverage. Haines said by phone this morning that his department will not be able to make medical calls Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. because of staffing and scheduling issues. “It’s just medical calls, due to the fact that we don’t have enough certified first-responders available,” he said. “Nobody left, it’s just that people switched shifts ... We’ve got firemen around, but not all of them are certified as first responders.” The hours will instead be covered by Multi-Township EMS, he said. He expects to resume normal coverage after a few more firefighters have finished training as first responders. He also added that the department is always looking for good help. Also Monday, council voted to reduce the speed limit of all streets in town from 30 mph to 25 mph. Signs will be posted at both ends of town on Section Street, which is still 30 mph just outside town limits.
