
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 11, 1993                   TAG: 9306110262
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

COUNCIL'S SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS FIREFIGHTER ISSUE

City Council will take up the controversial fire department personnel issue when it meets for a special session Saturday morning at 7 in council chambers. Not only is the early hour a bit unusual, but council also has a regularly scheduled meeting Monday night.

City Manager Robert Asbury Jr. said Thursday that council plans to discuss "the chief, paid personnel and volunteers" during the early morning meeting, most of which is expected to take place behind closed doors.

Council also plans to discuss appointments to various city boards and commissions.

When it passed the 1993-94 budget in April, council also approved a citywide "manpower schedule" that cut four full-time firefighter positions and will put three paid firemen out of work effective Jan. 1. A fourth fireman, out on disability, will not be replaced.

City officials have blamed budget constraints for the move, which they said would save an estimated $120,000.

Council's action will leave three firefighters plus Chief Calvin "Cabby" Whitt on the paid, full-time fire department staff next year. The city plans to take up the slack by expanding the number of volunteer firefighters from 35 to 50.

A petition drive aimed at pursuading City Council to reinstate the paid positions has so far gathered the names of several hundred residents.

Petition forms have been distributed to at least three Radford shops. Employees at two of the stores reported earlier this week that the petitions were getting a lot of attention.

The petitions call the cuts "regressive in nature and not in the best interests of the public" and ask council to "consider its decision to reduce the paid staff at the Fire Department."

by CNB