City Council Votes To Cover Over $1 Million In Firefighter Overtime

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind.  – The Terre Haute City Council addressed several budget issues at Thursday night’s meeting. Those issues were mainly minor and are not uncommon at the end of the year.

Mainly the council moved funds where money was not completely spent to those that were a little short.

One fund that was more than just a little short was the overtime account for the Terre Haute Fire Department.

Terre Haute Fire Chief Jeff Fisher said the department has spent more than $1.2 million this year in overtime. That’s more than $700,000 over the department’s allotted amount for overtime shifts.

Fisher cited retirement, sick leave, and wellness days as a few reasons for creating the overtime.

He also said that overtime was due to firefighters being off work due to injuries.

Several council members were not happy about the extreme amount of unbudgeted overtime.

Fisher told the council that he waited until the end of the year on purpose to inform the council of the overtime short fall even though he knew that they would be short by around the middle of the year.