SOUTHINGTON, CT —With two Southington Town Council Republicans siding with three Democrats, the town will not receive millions of dollars in federal cash to hire more firefighters.
The Southington Town Council Tuesday night narrowly rejected a $3.03 million federal grant that would have helped the town hire 12 additional firefighters. The vote was 5-4 against.
It came amid concerns about long-term staffing costs outweighing arguments that the funding would improve emergency response services.
The council voted 5-4 against accepting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.
The decision came after supporters urged town officials to accept the federal funding, arguing that additional firefighters would address longstanding staffing shortages and improve fire protection throughout Southington.
However, council members opposing the grant raised concerns about the financial obligations associated with hiring 12 permanent employees, particularly after the federal funding expires.
The vote crossed party lines, with two Republicans joining three Democrats to reject the grant.
Voting against accepting the grant:
Voting in favor of accepting the grant:
The motion to accept the grant failed, 5-4.
Morelli and Morrison joined the council's three Democratic members in opposing the funding, while the other four Republicans supported accepting it.
The vote drew criticism from Southington Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 2033, which said the council's decision leaves longstanding staffing and emergency response concerns unresolved.
"THE GRANT WAS REJECTED. THE PROBLEMS REMAIN," the union wrote in a Facebook statement.
The union thanked Chaplinsky, Clock, DelSanto and Serafino for supporting the grant.
It also questioned why three council members who previously supported applying for the funding ultimately opposed accepting it.
"Council members Zoni, Guida, and Palmieri previously supported applying for this funding but ultimately voted against accepting it. Morrison and Morelli opposed both measures," the union wrote.
"While applying for a grant and accepting its financial obligations are different decisions, the public deserves an explanation of what changed."
The union also raised concerns about fire protection in southern Southington, particularly staffing at Station 3.
"To the residents of southern Southington: Why does your neighborhood continue to receive a different level of fire protection?" the union wrote.
According to the union, Station 3 remains unstaffed approximately 75 percent of the week, requiring firefighters from other parts of town to respond to emergencies in those neighborhoods during those periods.
The union said rejecting the grant would not resolve staffing shortages, response-time disparities, or other operational challenges.
"Rejecting this grant does not eliminate decades of staffing deficiencies, response-time disparities, or operational challenges," the union wrote. "Those problems existed before the award and remain unresolved today."
The statement concluded: "The vote is over. The responsibility remains."
The Southington Fire Department also expressed disappointment with the decision, saying the federal grant represented an opportunity to address staffing deficiencies and improve emergency response capabilities.
"This award represented a significant opportunity to address longstanding staffing deficiencies, improve emergency response capabilities, and provide more consistent fire protection throughout Southington," the department said in a Facebook statement.
Department officials acknowledged that accepting the grant would have required a substantial financial commitment from the town, both immediately and in future years.
"We recognize that accepting the grant would have required a substantial short- and long-term financial commitment from the Town," the department said.
However, officials emphasized that the staffing and coverage problems that prompted the grant application have not changed.
"The staffing limitations, response-time disparities, and reduced coverage in portions of our community will continue to require attention," the department said.
The department thanked local, state, and federal officials who supported the initiative, along with the Board of Fire Commissioners, department members, and residents involved in the effort.
With the federal grant rejected, the SFD said its leadership will work with the Southington Board of Fire Commissioners and town officials to evaluate staffing requirements and develop other approaches to addressing operational needs.
"Moving forward, department leadership will work with the board of fire commissioners and town officials to evaluate our operational needs and identify responsible, sustainable solutions," the department said.
The department also emphasized that its firefighters would continue providing emergency services despite the council's decision.
"While the outcome of this process is disappointing, our commitment to the residents, businesses, and visitors of Southington remains unwavering," the department said.
No alternative staffing proposal or timetable for addressing the department's concerns was identified in the statements.
From Oct. 12: 'Southington Firefighters Union Defends $3.03M Grant Ahead Of Crucial Council Vote'
From Oct. 1: 'Southington FD Celebrates Massive Grant, But Town Council Has Final Say'
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