Saint John fire service has support in Ward 4

Saint Johns fire department garnered more support during the final public workshop on the citys 2013 budget Thursday nightthan during previous meetings.

Half of the estimated 40 people who attended the Ward 4 meeting on the citys east side said they are satisfied with the fire service and the cost.

Another 18 per cent said the department's $22 million budgetalready one of the most expensiveshould be increased.

And 59 per cent listed the fire department as the service they are most satisfied with in terms of the level of service, amount, and cost.

By comparison,only 16 per centof the 32 attendees at the first meeting in Ward 1 on the citys west side said they were satisfied with the fire service.

Saint Johncouncil held meetingsin each of the four wards this month to help determine spending priorities for the upcoming budget.

'Leave it alone'

Some of the people who attended Thursdays meeting, including firefighters and other city employees, felt strongly that the fire department should not face cuts.

"Leave it alone," was one of the comments written on a flip chart as the citizens gathered at Forest Hills Baptist Church discussed and debated how their tax dollars should be spent.

Retired firefighter Harold Stevens said he is worried about the way things have been going recentlywith cuts to the fire department and talk of more to come.

"I live here in Forest Hills. And you know, like your emergency services are primary," he said.

When Stu Benson questioned the level of fire service, Fire Chief Kevin Clifford stood right beside the table where he was sitting to respond.

Chief defends service

"We have industry in the eastern quadrant," said Clifford. "We have older housing stock in the uptown. We have older housing stock in the north end."

Benson didn't seem to mind the high-level intervention.

"It was good information, I guess," he said.

Crystal Lockerbie, of Glen Falls, said she doesn't want to see fire, or any othercity services cut back.

"I would recommend no cuts to anything just because I don't believe that we have to cut stuff," she said.

"I believe we have to cut back on certain things, [like] maybe not expand right now."

The fire budget represents about 15 per cent of the city's overall budget.

Saint John council could be forced to cut city services to deal with the city'spension deficit, which is estimated to be $193 million.

Earlier this year, council asked the legislative assembly to repeal its pension act, a move that will give the city more flexibility in finding a fix to its pension crisis.

Council has asked a provincial task force to help the city craft a plan to resolve the pension problem.