City staff outline need for third fire station and additional public-safety hires

City staff presented the council with a multi-part public-safety request tied to growth and service coverage. The presentation said a proposed third fire station is needed because parts of new development lie outside Station 2’s two-mile effective response radius, and that an engine purchased in November 2023 is now scheduled to arrive in June 2027, leaving it without a home station.

The staff presentation framed the requests as both a near-term and long-term priority for fiscal year 2026. The presenter said the administration is asking for three additional firefighters "not just like we did last year" to meet response and operational standards and to support succession planning and clearer job definitions across shifts. Officials also asked that the council consider reestablishing a special-operations lieutenant and adding two patrol officers to reduce overtime and ensure shift staffing.

Why it matters: Staff said response-time coverage will worsen as new subdivisions come online outside Station 2’s coverage area. The arriving apparatus and the proposed positions are presented as investments to maintain public-safety standards amid growth.

Budget and staffing context: During the discussion staff and council members flagged recruitment pressures, including higher starting pay offered by neighboring agencies. The presenter cited a comparison—Chester County’s reported starting pay in the discussion—while finance staff warned that any salary increases carry additional retirement and FICA costs that raise the total compensation expense by roughly 22 percent.

Staff proposed several retention measures: a market-based salary progression, hiring part‑time/reserve officers as recruitment tools, and conditional training reimbursement (for example, CDL training paid by the city with repayment or service obligations if the employee leaves). Council members said final decisions on salaries would rest with the council after budget projections are finalized.

Next steps: Staff asked the council to consider the personnel requests during the upcoming budget discussions and to weigh options including phased hires, use of grant funding earmarked for specific positions, or adjusting millage within statutory limits. No formal motion or vote was recorded on the staffing requests during the session.