Request to Fill Firefighter Positions on City Commission Agenda Tonight

Hiring firefighters is on the Royal Oak City Commission's agenda when it meets today at 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of .

Acting Fire Chief Charles Thomas will ask the City Commission for permission to fill six firefighter vacancies due to the retirements of Acting Assistant Chief Rick Wiegand, Captain Don Stehlin, Captain Gil Tufts, Captain Mike Schunck, Lieutenant Steve Villerot and Sergeant Tom Rosenthal.

As a condition of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) the fire department was awarded, it needs to maintain 51 persons in fire suppression.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created SAFER to provide funding directly to fire departments to help them increase the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities.

Other items on Monday's City Commission agenda include:

• federal Community Development Block Grant 2012-2013 annual action plan
• setting fiscal year 2012-13 budget work session meeting dates
• setting public hearing date for fiscal year 2012-13 budget
• review of several Special Event Permit requests for Cinco de Mayo celebrations
• discussion of charter vehicle task force