Published: March 02, 2007

ASHLAND — The City of Ashland hired 12 new employees Thursday night to fill positions that in some cases have been vacant for months.

Six firefighters were among the vacant positions filled by hires. According to fire officials, retirements, promotions and the lengthy hiring process have left firefighters so short-handed recently the safety of residents and firefighters was jeopardized.

“There have been times we’ve been concerned about the safety of firefighters and citizens,” said Ashland Fire Chief Dave Sloan. He added he was pleased with the Ashland Board of City Commissioners’ decision to fill the six positions.

The hires will bring the total number of firefighters on a shift to 17 and the total number of firefighters employed by the city to 55, he said.

Even with the hires, the force is “barely adequate,” Sloan said.

“All the studies indicate we need more,” he said, adding the city simply cannot afford them.

It will be several weeks before the new firefighters have completed their physicals and the training needed to become certified.

A number of off-duty firefighters were at Thursday’s meeting.

“We appreciate they acknowledge it is a safety issue and they have addressed it significantly,” said firefighter Joe Baer, president of Local 706 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

The remaining positions were filled in the various divisions of the Public Services Department.

Director Stephen Corbitt said he hired six new employees and made three promotions. He said he still has four vacant positions.

Some of the positions have been vacant as long as three months and the department has been compensating with overtime, temporary workers and, in some instances, reducing the level of service to residents, Corbitt said.

All the positions filled Thursday night were funded in this year’s budget, city officials said. They cautioned that next year’s budget is going to be even tighter.

Mayor Steve Gilmore said the city is trying to reduce its overall number of employees.

“Our goal is through attrition ... we’re trying to reduce the number of employees. Where we’re filling are needed,” he said.

He said the city is also exploring combining positions “to save those personnel costs.”

CARRIE KIRSCHNER can be reach at ckirschner@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.