City's finance committee reviews proposal for half-million in cuts

GREENVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) - City officials in Greenville are looking into a proposal that would cut more than a half-million dollars from its police, fire and city departments. 

The majority of the proposed cuts would come out of the city's fire department.  According to city leaders, it would include the elimination of department's secretary, the reduction of four firefighters, as well as the elimination of the Assistant Fire Chief position.

The current assistant chief will be demoted to a captain's pay.  In all, it will reduce the department to a 16 man staff.

Fire chief Mark Wolfe did not wish to be interviewed, but said the proposed cuts would have a significant impact on the department's ability to provide service to the community.  Police chief Dennis Butts is also not on board with the proposal.

During a phone interview, Butts said council already reduced his staff from 25 to 22 earlier this year . 

The new proposal suggested to eliminate its secretary position as well.

The Mayor of Greenville said its the city's effort to be good stewards of tax dollars.

"We are simply looking at a proposal of a service model that had already been in place 10 years ago before the city of Greenville and Greenville Township split into separate departments," said Mike Bowers.  "A service model that should not effect the fire department's response time because you are still going to have four people on an apparatus who are leaving the station in a timely manner."

According to Greenville City Council Clerk Nancy Myers, the city's finance committee met August 16 to discuss the expense reduction proposal.  Myers said there will be a follow up meeting at City Hall on August 23 at 4:00 pm.