Annoyed with how much sick time firefighters use, the City Council on Monday night informally agreed to reduce the amount of overtime in the proposed 2017-18 budget from $631,000 to $570,000.
Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr. recommended cutting the fire department’s overtime by $61,000 after a lengthy discussion about sick time. The majority of the council agreed to reduce sick time from about an estimated $180,000 to $120,000.
About 31 percent of the budgeted overtime expenses is associated with firefighters calling in sick and others being called in to work to make sure that a full staff of 15 is on duty at all times.