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<br />Regular City Council Minutes - 08/04/03 <br />Page 5 <br /> <br />that three positions (2 officers, 1 Deputy Chief) were <br />vacant. <br /> <br />Further discussion ensued regarding the loss of Local <br />Government Aid (LGA) and impacts on the remaining <br />2003 operations; difficulty in tracking vacant position <br />savings due to additional overtime and/or compo time <br />required; and time requirements for hiring Police positions <br />given the interview and testing standards. <br /> <br />Mayor K ysylyczyn expressed appreciation to staff for their <br />presentation and response to Council comment. <br /> <br />Fire Department <br />Fire Chief Rick Gasaway was welcomed to the podium by <br />Mayor Kysylyczyn. <br /> <br />Fire Chief Gasaway reviewed the Fire Department's <br />proposed "zero percent increase" budget as per Council <br />direction, noting that while the goal for the addition of <br />three (3) full-time Emergency Medical Technicians <br />(EMT's) had been intended for inclusion, it had been <br />eliminated due to budget constraints. Chief Gasaway <br />further advised that the 2004 proposed department budget <br />did include a $.50 increase per hour for employees; <br />replacement of two (2) older fire engines; reduction in <br />vehicle maintenance reflected by replacing those two (2) <br />units; reduced rental of the White Bear Lake bum tower; <br />reduced funding for new hire testing and training; and <br />overall reductions in memberships, subscriptions and <br />operational supplies. <br /> <br />Councilmember Klausing sought clarification, specifically <br />on pages 33 and 34 of the Fire Budget, related to the <br />Human Resources allocation, department objectives versus <br />funding for first response responders within the Fire <br />Department. <br /> <br />Chief Gasaway responded that the department intended to <br />perform medical responses using existing, on-duty <br />employees and was reflected in the operating budget under <br />