Earlier this week, Huntington Mayor Steve Updike held a press conference relaying information of coming citywide layoffs. The only position, at that date, to be announced in the layoff was the Mayor's secretary. He went on to say that six more layoffs were expected this week. Yesterday it was announce that six firefighters from the East End station were the latest casualties of the 1.7 million dollar shortfall in tax revenue. This closed the only fire station between the center of town and the community of Roanoke. Roanoke has a volunteer service, but will now be hampered. It was also the closest station to a gravel pit as well as a multi company petroleum depot.
These cuts also effect Huntington's Emergency Response Team, as four of the firefighters were also Emergency Response members. The union representative had said, he would fight layoffs of any firefighters, during the press conference earlier this week. After the announcement yesterday, the representative said he believed these to be major cuts because of the duel function of the four firefighters. Local 680 President Wayne Huff said, because of the cuts, response times would double.
This is the first rounds of cuts for the city, resulting in twelve layoffs so far. Mayor Updike said in an interview to Indiana News Center ""When the check book says 0-0-0, and you don't have money to pay people, you have to do something" http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/69421512.html . Included in the layoffs were also a couple of administrative positions. One in the water billing department, a police clerk, clerk treasure, and parks department.
Next week, Mayor Updike will ask for increases in garbage collection fees to help offset the shortfall. This proposal was made once before and was tabled because of wording in the paperwork was to vague. On the line are the jobs of four more firefighters and three police officers.
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