ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The planned hiring of needed temporary firefighters is the latest item to feel the axe on the chopping block at the City of St. John’s.
The COVID-19 pandemic, paired with high Snowmageddon-related costs, has wreaked havoc on the city’s finances. The looming year’s end deficit is estimated to be roughly $18 million, and there’s another $10-million to $15-million deficit projected next year.
That’s problematic because municipalities are required to have a balanced budget, and are not permitted to borrow funds for operating costs.
There’s $22 million currently in the city’s reserve funds, but Mayor Danny Breen has said the entire reserve shouldn’t be used all at once because the city could face other, unforeseen challenges.
The city has already deferred completing some projects that were previously approved to be done this year, such as Phase 2 of the city’s wetlands study, money for downtown decorative lighting and a municipal residential tree planting program.
In July, an information note prepared for a meeting of the regional fire services committee said the number of temporary firefighters on the St. John’s Regional Fire Department’s (SJRFD) list has been decreasing in recent months. Paired with projected retirements over the next two years, the SJRFD planned to begin recruitment in August. The process was expected to take six to eight months, with a hiring date in June 2021.
But a quiet update on the city’s website under the firefighter recruitment page on Wednesday informed interested candidates that recruitment was suspended until further notice.
“A further announcement will be made following the release of the city’s balanced budget to the public in December 2020,” reads the update.
SJRFD Chief Sherry Colford confirmed with The Telegram that recruitment has been postponed while the city works on a balanced budget. She said it will be re-evaluated in the new year.
Meanwhile, the city’s website says any firefighter candidate who was issued job-related testing certifications between Aug. 24 and Oct. 9 would have that certification accepted for any firefighter recruitment in 2021. However, any other certification requirement will still need to be valid at the time of application.
Temporary firefighters are typically called to work during the summer months and at Christmastime to cover annual leave.
