NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio — The future of a deal clearing the way for 75% of North College Hill firefighters who threatened to walk off the job in March to return is in limbo based on the vote of the city council.
Firefighters walked, in part, due to the movement of a fund dedicated to equipment purchase from a special fund to the town's general fund raising concerns among fire department leadership that the money raised from emergency medical services could be used for other city needs.
Mayor Tracie Nichols said she had helped reach an agreement with the fire department by drawing up legislation designating EMS funding specifically for fire department use.
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At the first meeting where the council publicly discussed that legislation, however, council and city administration didn't agree on what the legislation would look like, why it was necessary or whether its passage could be detrimental to the council's ability to balance budgets, especially in a post-COVID relief dollar world.
“It would be better, cleaner, to pass the legislation and then move the funds," said councilwoman Arica Underwood after city finance officials confirmed the money hadn't been returned to a fire fund.
Underwood argued the money couldn't be moved back until the fund was created by law.
Former City Manager Jennifer Ekey said in March that the city hadn't legally created the fund more than two decades ago and that's why it was being wrapped into the general fund.
Ekey resigned from the city as controversy swirled around the department's staffing and issues within the police department.
Mayor Nichols said the legislation needed amending to make it clear all funds taken from it going back to November would be returned, as city finance made it clear the plan was for the city and interim Fire Chief Joe Placke to negotiate how much would be added to the account once created.
The plan Monday, according to city administration, was not to return the full amount to the equipment fund.
Councilwoman Mary Jo Zorb warned that passage of an ordinance creating a special fund for fire could lead to other departments asking for similar allotments.
She said, for example, police could ask for funds generated by the issuance of tickets to be added to a fund specifically for their needs instead of the general fund.
“We run the risk of running out of money," Zorb said. "I just want to put that out there because, right now, we still have COVID money that we’re living on.”
Mayor Nichols declined an interview but said the legislation was in council's hands and should be considered at the council meeting on April 15.
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