In voting against the funding, Mayor Butler contended the city could save $4 million if the city eliminated the “minimum manning” clause that requires 15 firefighters are on duty at all times and not accept the grant. Almost all of the city’s $800,000 in overtime expenses also would be gone, he said.  

The minimum manning stance is at the crux of a four-year contract dispute with the Watertown Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 191. As a result, the city will save money in personnel costs because many of those firefighters earn top-tier annual salary wages of $55,635 and they will be replaced by new people earning a base salary of $44,799.

Public Safety Director Steve Grinnewald said council members approved buying a new fire truck to replace one that is 29 years old. The total price of the truck from the Rosenbauer Co. is $352,797 which includes more than $12,000 worth of extra equipment.  

Grinnewald said the city has a replacement schedule for major items such as fire trucks in order to set aside funds over a number of years. The useful life of a fire truck is usually 25 years and this truck lasted 29 years.