Here's How Greenfield Fire Department Will Spend Referendum Money

GREENFIELD, WI — Voters took to the polls this November to pass a $975,000 referendum so the city could hire five police officers and two fire department personnel.

Earlier this year, citing a need for more police and fire protection, and lower police staffing when compared with their suburban neighbors, Greenfield Police Chief Brad Wentlandt and Fire Chief Jon Cohn approached the common council to increase police and fire staffing through a referendum.

The Greenfield Common Council voted unanimously on July 31 to approve a referendum question that asked voters whether they approve of the City exceeding state-imposed levy limits by $975,000 in 2019 to hire five police officers and two fire department personnel.

Yet, according to a CBS 58 report this week, the Fire Department says they're not going to spend their new funds strictly on more firefighters, but rather on support staff that will help firefighters make it to the calls where they are needed most.

Officials say the moves will help make the department more efficient.

Cohn says the new tax money will go toward cutting down on the number of medical response calls, a number of which are not necessary. Cohn said medical responses make up 90 percent of all their calls. In the report, Cohn said that the tax money will go toward hiring a training officer and a social worker partly to try and cut down on sending emergency services to people may not need them.

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