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In a December 2011 memo written to Town Administrator John Coderre, Northborough's Fire Chief David Durgin detailed a 10-point request for the FY2013 budget. Among the requests was a "reminder" that the department was promised six additional firefighters with the development of the Avalon Bay apartments and Northborough Crossing.
In 2013, Durgin repeated his requests for the FY2014 budget, following up his level budget requests with a "budget discussion points" memo to Coderre, in which he wrote, "I informed you last year that the department was at a crossroad relating to Avalon Bay and Northborough Crossing and their anticipated service demand impacts upon the fire and ambulance services provided by the daprtment. With continued overall growth throughout the town, the department is well past a crossroads point."
In the memo, he lists his first priority as the hiring of a minimum of six career firefighters. Based on the department's call volume, Durgin argued that on-duty staffing should be at a minimum of eight personell, but added that "six on-duty personnel could staff both ambulances and still maintain a less than disarable fire response of two on-duty personnel." Northborough, he said, should have an "on-duty strength of 15 personnel for our property values, target hazards and life safety considerations." Currently, the FD maintains four on-duty personnel and no dedicated fire prevention staff.
In identical memos from Police Chief Mark Leahy, his "supplemental budget request" included three additional police officers for the FY2013 and FY2014 budgets.
"The impact of the full opening of Northborough Crossing and Avalon Northbrough are being fully felt by this agency," reads the memos. "The frequent calls for service in this high-traffic, high-density area is resulting in fewer patrols throughout the remainder of our community. The impact was foreseen when the project was planned and mitigation funds were received to offset the impact."
Coderre, in a letter originally sent to MetroWest Daily News (and shared with Northborough Patch), confirmed that the fire department had requested six firefighters at an estimated FY2014 cost of $512,000. Durgin, he had also suggested the addition of a deputy chief position at a cost estimaged at $114,000.
"The creation and classification of a new position would be subject to review and approval by the Personnel Board and Town Meeting, so I have no actual detail on the chief's estimate."
Police requests for FY2014 totaled $295,000, inclusive of fringe benefits, added Coderre. Discussions surrounding the vacant assistant DPW director position, too, have been ongoing.
"As with ay financial or policy decision faced by the town," wrote Coderre, "a review of not only the departmental requests is done, but a comprehensive review of the relevant data, service delivery methodology and financial context is also important."
At the meeting, Coderre said that the committee is an effort to be proactive and assess the situation for fiscal budgets beyond 2014.
Durgin wrote that he has noted over numerous budget cycles the concern of a growing town, call volume increases and the lack of "promised resources to deal with this growth have not been forthcoming."
"While I know that many of my positions and requests will not be popular," wrote Durgin, "as the advocate for fire and EMS services, I believe that all of these issues must be addressed and that realistic discussions and public awareness of the department's true capabilities and limitations and the status of its current infrasructure must be told."