By Lauren Stanfroth
The Times-Union
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A crowd spilled into the hallway outside City Council chambers Tuesday night as about 200 people attended a public hearing on Mayor Brian U. Stratton’s proposed 2011 budget.
Most people who spoke at the hearing on the $76.9 million proposed spending plan begged the city to restore 19 firefighter positions and a fire station that are among many of Stratton’s cuts to plug a $6 million hole next year.
About 100 people supporting Schenectady firefighters’ Local 28 also marched around City Hall before the meeting chanting “no more cuts,” a noise that could be heard upstairs where City Council was holding a budget work session before the regular meeting began.
Firefighters, clergy and neighborhood residents took to the microphone for more than two hours, many to convey their worry that the city would no longer be able to quickly respond to fire and medical calls if one of Schenectady’s four stations closed.
Scott Banagan was one of the two workers at Precision Industrial Maintenance two years ago who was overcome by deadly fumes while working inside a tank. Banagan, who spoke at the public hearing, said he only survived because of the quick work of Schenectady firefighters. His co-worker died.
“They gave everything for me,” said Banagan outside the meeting, who added he debated with himself about speaking publicly about the accident. “I’m just trying to do something for them in return.”
Zabeeda Permaul’s voice broke as she spoke about how firefighters saved her son and his girlfriend when the house she owned caught fire on Emmett Street in February.
“Can’t you please, please look into the budget?” Permaul said. “Think of how it will hurt the firefighter.”
Schenectady firefighter Chris Carroll told City Council that they should hold their breath for the three minutes he had for his public comment -- because that’s how long it might take for a firefighter to reach a victim if a station closed.
“Are you still holding your breath?” Carroll asked. “Why are you asking the people of the city to do something you can’t?”
Local 28 president David Orr interrupted public comment at the microphone to tell the meeting that there was a report of a working fire with people trapped on Gerling Street. Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said later that a 70-year-old escaped and the building suffered heavy damage.
Some at the meeting addressed other cuts in the proposed spending plan, such as elimination of the Schenectady Neighborhood Assistance Program that hands out about 1,800 nuisance violations a year on properties for everything from overgrown weeds to trash left out too early for pickup. Stratton’s budget also calls for cutting 13 parks maintenance staff, which would essentially halt grass mowing and field maintenance in city parks. Three of four pools are also proposed to be closed.
“If you cut the parks, all we’ll be able to do is play hide and seek in the tall grass,” said the Rev. Van Stuart, who works for Schenectady Inner City Ministries.
City Council is holding budget work sessions over the next two weeks in hopes of finding other cuts or increased revenue to keep some firefighters and maintain pools and parks.
The council must approve a spending plan by Nov. 1.
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