toledoblade.com --

Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski says he has a plan that would save the city $1.4 million and keep a firetruck that sits on the city's chopping block.

Last week, city leaders announced plans to save $2.5 million by reducing overtime in the fire department, reassigning more firefighters to the line, and taking a firetruck out of service, a move that is meant to reduce staffing requirements.

Mr. Waniewski, a Republican who represents District 5 in West Toledo, said the targeted fire truck, Ladder 25 in his district, should be spared and that cuts should be directed at hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on athletics, downtown landscaping, nature education, and golf course improvements.

"Leave the public safety in my district, West Toledo, alone," Mr. Waniewski said. "Go somewhere else. We pay enough in city and county dollars. The taxpayers are just looking for a little of their money's worth."

At the root of Mr. Waniewski's proposal is a plan to fund a fire class, training firefighters who eventually would join the ranks and reduce overtime costs. The city spends $10,000 a day on overtime.

In his plan, Mr. Waniewski said the city could save $457,000 on athletics, $400,000 on demolition spending, and $140,000 on downtown landscaping.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said he opposes cutting funds to raze dilapidated structures.

The mayor said some of the funding sources Mr. Waniewski suggested could be used for the fire department have already been slashed and redirected to other general fund expenses, such as $115,000 for the Toledo youth commission.

Robert Reinbolt, the mayor's chief of staff, said the mayor's administration wouldn't have any comment on Mr. Waniew-
ski's proposals until leaders had a chance to review the plans.

He said the plans seemed premature, but said the mayor would be willing to consider them.

"Some of the items have already been cut out of the budget," Mr. Reinbolt said. "If there are other ways to do it, we would be willing to look at it."

The mayor's move to eliminate Ladder 25 has been met with resistance by the union representing firefighters, which convinced a Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge to grant a temporary restraining order to stop the change.

The change would reduce the contract-mandated 103 firefighters per day to 99.

Toledo Firefighters Local 92 contends the reduction in the daily number of firefighters working not only would violate the union's contract but also would create a safety issue for firefighters and city residents.

The Finkbeiner administration said police layoffs will be on the table if the fire staffing change is blocked.

Blade staff writer Ignazio Messina contributed to this report.

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