There was a large crowd at the Centralia City Council meeting Tuesday evening. Firefighters and paramedics came to the meeting protesting comments that were made during a finance committee meeting last month. Councilman David Sauer made a broad recommendation about closing one of the fire stations as a way for the city to reduce the budget deficit. District Three Vice President Adam Ruderman addressed the council over the situation. He says the comments made have been a great concern for firefighters and community members. "When it comes to persuading the community with the premise that if the firefighters don't make concessions during negotiations that the community will suffer the loss of a fire station is ludicrous. This type of progressive thinking is what will make a progressive community lose any prospect of new growth through a decline of services and business development", said Ruderman. Rudermansays he understands the economic situation across the state, but says there are other ways to maintain services without having cuts and closures. He says there is a long road ahead, and at the end of the day, it's the cost of doing business. Centralia Mayor Tom Ashby also addressed the audience as well, saying that there has been rumors that the budget deficit has been made up. He says the finance committee was made for a reason, and it wasn't made for the reason of laying off employees or eliminating positions, but for the reason of economics. "This is not about attacking one type of person or individual; this is about trying to make a city operate on January 1st. It's not that we don't think the expertise of any individual, whether they work on the street or in the police or fire department, they are all paid professionals, and they do an excellent job. It's just whether we can afford the level", said Ashby. Ashby says he welcomes any recommendations from any of the departments, but he states he will not support raising taxes and rates, saying it has killed the growth of the town. Councilman Sauer says there have been public meetings over the budget crisis, but no one has shown up to them. He states something has to be done. "It's my guarantee that if things don't change, we will not meet payroll in January or February of 2012. These are not things that we have been making up; these are things that we have been talking about in public meetings in the last ten public meetings where no one shows up", said Sauer. Mayor Ashby says he plans to have a work session opened to the public over the budget deficit within the next two weeks. The finance committee only gives broad recommendations to the council. The City Council has final approval on all financial recommendations - http://goo.gl/85Xyv
