A breakdown provided to The Daily Gazette showed that, while most of the department's 29 members make a base salary of between $49,000 and $59,000, overtime, health insurance, retirement benefits and other costs add up to an average annual cost of $110,000 per firefighter.

The fire department's contract with the city ran out in 2013 but is rolled over every year until a new contract is put in place.

The average salary at the fire department -- with overtime, holiday and personal time buyouts -- is $72,275. Chief Thomas Groff pulls down $90,000 a year, while Battalion Chief David Rackmyre makes $103,000. The lowest-paid firefighter makes an annual salary of $57,000.

Gloversville Mayor Dayton King said that, while negotiations between the department and the city are ongoing, the two sides can't seem to get within range of one another on a package of cuts.

"They're giving us options that aren't even close," said King of the department's latest cost-cutting offer, which he claimed amounted to $79,000 in savings.

Gloversville Firefighter's Association president Ed Martelle said the union won't comment on the negotiations. The union's lawyer, John Black of the Albany-based firm Hinman Straub P.C., also would not comment.

"It is the policy of the union not to discuss contract negotiations with the press," said Black in an email. "The city had agreed to the same policy."

King said he spoke out because negotiations seem to be stalled.

"I just think, the way it is now, they either think we're bluffing [about putting a referendum vote on the ballot], or they think the community is OK with spending this kind of money," King said.

City officials have yet to work out what the referendum language would be, but if a majority of residents vote for the city to restructure the fire department, it would allow city officials to bypass binding arbitration and would give them the upper hand in negotiating a budget decrease, King said.

Weather and salt have combined to hasten the decline of the frames of the vehicles, and one of the department's engines, Engine 5, was taken out of rotation a month ago because it failed a Michigan Department of Transportation inspection.

A committee investigated different options for specifications for the new fire engine, talking to members of the department and other fire departments in southeast Michigan. With several departments recently purchasing new vehicles of a different brand than what St. Clair Shores currently uses, the committee was able to get a perspective of the different services provided by different brands.

Morehouse told City Council that the department received four different bids from different manufacturers and was recommending the purchase of a Rosenbauer pumper from Emergency Vehicles Plus for a total of $454,495, which included a prepayment discount and four options.

That's nearly $5,000 over the budgeted amount, but Morehouse said the city saved about $10,000 on the latest ambulance it ordered.

"I think this has probably been an ongoing issue here at this station due to multiple reasons," said Jenkins. "It could be from a leaking roof. There are a lot of repairs that need to be done to the station even on the foundation and the corners, where the corners have separated from the building. I don't think it was something that happened over night."

Jenkins said firefighters routinely write-up complaints or issues that need to be addressed. Last week he said he was notified that a few firefighters had gotten sick and had concerns about the air quality. Jenkins could not elaborate on the firefighters' conditions but did say they were expected to be OK.

"If you've got moisture on the inside [of a building], water leaking, stuff like that, that can cause the mold," said Jenkins. "This station does have some leaks that have been brought to our attention that we're aware of. This station is actually in line to have the roof replaced."

Crews began working on "scrubbing the air" to mitigate the mold Wednesday morning. Jenkins said that process would take approximately 24 hours, after which, additional air quality tests would be conducted.

Depending on the results of those test, Jenkins said the eight firefighters who live and work in that station, per shift, could possibly move back into the Shandon Station sometime on Friday.

Mayor Holt says Florence has an excellent Fire Department and they are well prepared to handle this situation. They have a contingency plan in place now and he assures citizens that the Fire Department will continue providing full coverage to all areas served by Fire Station #2.