LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has proposed directing more than $448 million to public safety in the city.
More than $87 million of that is going to Louisville Fire, meanwhile the firefighters union is still working to negotiate salary contracts with the city.
Wednesday, Chief Brian O'Neill sat before Louisville Metro Council to defend the millions of dollars in the department's budget.
“Mayor Greenberg was very forward with us saying he’s here for public safety, he’s talked about that, and this budget shows it," O'Neill said.
The department has been at the forefront of life-saving measures on the Second Street Bridge and what could have been a deadly NULU apartment complex fire. Something Metro Council Budget Committee members recognize.
"This department has been an amazing example of public good and services," said Shameka Parrish-Wright, D-District 3.
While the department has made national news for a few particular instances, O'Neill said firefighters do heroic work every day.
"We've had a couple that have really been in the public eye recently, but our members do this stuff day in and day out. All the time. They take a tremendous risk, they put their health on the line," he said.
O'Neill answered councilmembers' questions regarding where the nearly $88 million will go. More than $82 million of the budget is allocated to 'personnel services' which is for raises and overtime.
Some council members addressed the elephant in the room: how will this proposed budget change if and when the Louisville firefighters union comes to an agreement with the city on contract negotiations.
"I just want to get a sense of the administration's urgency on finalizing this, as opposed to delaying it much longer," asked Anthony Piagentini, R-District 19.
In May, the union voted against a five-year contract with the city that included a 24% pay increase.
"It's part of labor law, that people have to agree, they have to meet, they have to negotiate, so I have no doubt that that will be happening in a good amount of time," Chief O'Neill said.
Metro Government Chief Financial Officer Angela Dunn assured the council that salary negotiations are already accounted for in the mayor's proposed budget.
"We have factored in within our salaries adjustments account a forecast based on negotiations and that is in the budget before you," Dunn said.
The proposed budget also allocates money for three new incident technicians, said O'Neill.
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"It’s a huge step forward when it comes to the safety of our people on a scene," he said. "When you have a large emergency scene, we need a dedicated accountability officer to know where everybody is and what they’re doing. If you look at reports about firefighter fatalities, lack of accountability is one of the number one contributing factors to that. So, this gives us that safety officer on scene.”
Right before the budget hearing, a five-year contract for Louisville Fire majors passed out of the Public Safety Committee. The contract includes raises and more PTO flexibility for the department's management level.
“It helps us with retention, obviously, when people are paid well for the work that they do," Chief O'Neill said.
The contract for Louisville Fire majors will now go on the consent calendar to go in front of the full Metro Council.
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