SOUTHFIELD, Mich., (WXYZ) - Why is the city of Southfield balking at millions of dollars from the federal government to help keep the city safe? Leaving all that grant money on the table raises a lot of questions – at a time when so many communities are strapped for cash.
The voters in Southfield just recently decided to dig a little deeper in their pockets to pass a millage so they could avoid laying off firefighters.
Action News has learned – layoffs could still be on the horizon. So why is the city saying “no thanks” to a $2 Million federal grant for the fire dept?
Trouble is smoldering in Southfield.
Firefighters say they’re on track to respond to a record number of calls for help this year… more than 12,000 in this city of 71,000 residents.
“Just because the economy’s bad, our numbers still increase,” said Southfield Firefighters Union President Tom Colombo.
While the fire and medical runs are on the rise –Colombo says staff numbers are so low, they’re calling in firefighters on overtime almost daily to cover shifts.
“My biggest concern is that we’ll be further reduced in numbers over the next few years, and already we are stretched beyond the point of where we can safely do our job,” said Colombo.
Hoping to beef up their ranks, the Southfield firefighters applied for something called a SAFER grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Back in February, FEMA awarded Southfield the $2 Million grant which would pay the wages and benefits of 11 full-time firefighters for 2 years.
“For two years, this would enhance both the firefighter and citizen safety, it would reduce overtime, and it would give these people 2 years of employment, 2 years of experience, for their resume, for their future,” said Colombo.
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CITY OF SOUTHFIELD CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR OPERATING MILLAGE
Shall Section 8.6(a) of the Charter of the City of Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan, be amended so as to permit the levy by the City of an additional ad valorem tax in an amount not to exceed 4.9183 mills for City purposes? This 4.9183 additional millage authorization consists of the following components specifically dedicated as follows:
a) 4.0581 mills for police, fire and emergency medical services;
b) 0.7066 mill for library purposes;
c) 0.0976 mill for parks and recreation purposes; and
d) 0.0560 mill for neighborhood street maintenance
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WJBK) - Tough times call for tough ballot measures. Tuesday, taxpayers in some metro Detroit communities were asked to cough up more cash to keep police and firefighters on the job.
Southfield was one of the cities facing major cuts in public safety if the voters said no. If the millage failed, the city said it would have to layoff almost a hundred police officers and dispatchers and 49 firefighters.
However, that has all been avoided because the millage passed.
FOX 2's Alexis Wiley talked to Southfield Fire Chief Peter Healy about that outcome. Click here to visit the myFOXDetroit website and watch their conversation.
Southfield - The Harvard Plaza office building on Southfield Road was destroyed this afternoon by fire.
As of 5:50 p.m., firefighters were working to put out "hot spots" and small fires buried when the roof collapsed. The blazed began five hours earlier at the structure just north of 12 Mile.
No one has been injured, but fire officials said the building was a total loss.
The blaze spread quickly because of the size of the building, construction that included a wood roof and paneling and gusting winds, Southfield Fire Chief Peter Healy said. What remains of the one-story, 41,000 - square-foot structure is a brick-sided shell.
Karen Miller, co-owner of JAN-PRO, a cleaning service franchise housed in the building, said she left 15 minutes before the fire erupted. She got a call from someone saying there was a fire in the area, and it looked as if it was near her building.
Miller said she and her business partner have lost their computer equipment and files. A photo could be seen hanging on one of the walls of their office, surrounded by the building's charred remains.
"I'm sick," Miller said. "I just want to cry. We put our heart and soul into this for two years."
The fire started in the attic of the building around 12:55 p.m., Healy said. Firefighters responded within five minutes. Within a short time, flames began to shoot through the roof.
Wind gusts carried black smoke eastward over homes and area businesses. One bystander said she saw the smoke as far away as 15 Mile and Woodward.
The Southfield Fire Department received help from Royal Oak, Birmingham, Farmington Hills and Bloomfield Township.
Southfield Road remained closed at 5:50 p.m. because of firefighting efforts; motorists were asked to avoid the area.
Property records show more than 40 tenants in the building, including law practices, medical offices, accountants and charities.
