A big applause was given when the Newberry Fire Department was given $578,000 to hire six new firefighters, but since getting the award, Newberry City Council has wrestled with accepting it.

In the end the council was concerned it could not continue to employee the half-a-dozen new firefighters after the five-year grant, and turned it down. But the council knows it needa to increase the number of public safety employees to meet expected growth.

City leaders applied for the grant in 2007 and were notified that they had it in February of this year.

As the budget process wore on, the council discussed the issue.

The four-year grant would pay a portion of the six salaries, but by the fourth year the federal grant would only pay 40-percent, and the city would be responsible for the entire grant starting the fifth year. If the city discontinued the positions, it would have to reimburse the federal government the $578,000 it received in grant money.

City Manager Eric Budds said one big challenge is the state legislature has put a cap on taxation. The cap allows an increase of only the consumer price index (rate of inflation) and the growth in the city.

The total cost to hire the six new firefighters would be about $250,000 a year.

The increase allowed by the legislature would not support two additional firefighters. The addition in the budget also would not allow the city to continue current service and could force other city department to lose employees, said Budds.

“We have had a lean budget and I don't see anywhere else to cut,” said Budds.

Council also looked if continued growth in the city could cover the additional costs, but Budds learned that the city would need $45 million worth of new taxable property to cover the cost of the six firefighters.

Another idea was to increase local business taxes and city fees, but Budds didn't believe the option would raise much money and would hurt local businesses.

After all the discussions, the City Council decided it could not fund its share of the salaries.

Budds added it would have been cruel to hire the additional firefighters and then fire them a few years later.

“In my 20 years in management, I have not seen a council wrestle with a decision as much as this one. The need exist but there is no way to fund the salaries,” said Budds.

“We would be rolling the dice with predicting the growth over the next five years. To proceed with the grant was the most risky recommendation I had ever made. We could have reached into our fund balance, if we would have had to pay back the grant money but it would be unpopular to terminate six firefighters. It would not be fair to their families and the community. If the residents should be angry at anyone it should be directed to the members of the General Assembly who supported the tax cap. The quality and quantity of local services in now being decided in Columbia verses council chambers.”

The council and Budds realize growth is coming to Newberry through new businesses and residential homes.

The group plans to discuss how they can increase employees in both the fire and police departments to cover these needs.

The start of the discussions will be at an all day city council work session scheduled for Aug. 23.

One plan is the council has is to put all the revenue from growth in the city towards the positions.

Budds also plans to start discussions about ways the city and county can work together to provide fire protection to the citizens.