Posted on: Saturday, October 6, 2001

The September 11th attack
Security costs force city to postpone hiring

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer

The city is postponing some new city hires to help save money to pay for increased security measures following the Sept. 11 attacks, Mayor Jeremy Harris said yesterday.

Harris said money to pay for increased security for public facilities — such as utilities — and putting more police on alert must come from the current budget.

"We're tightening the belt everywhere we can," he said.

Harris said the city will continue to fill jobs linked to public health and safety but will consider other positions on a case-by-case basis. "We don't have a hiring freeze on per se, but every position we're looking at to see if it's necessary before we fill, and we're cutting back so that we can generate enough savings to pay for the police overtime, some of the new technology that we're bringing in for security purposes."

He also is looking at saving money to help ease the impact of the decline in visitors since the attacks. "If it's something that's an immediate need and important, we'll fill it. If it's something that can be put on hold and those dollars used for our security needs, we will do that."

Harris acknowledged that a downturn in the economy and layoffs will reduce city revenue.

And the city is requesting dispensation from any federal move to call up members of the reserves who work in the police and fire departments.

"About 8 percent of our police department and our fire department are reservists, and if they are called up, then it's going to put both of our emergency service operations in a very difficult position," Harris said.

He said he expects the request will be granted in most cases.

"If they serve a vital role in their reserve capacity, then they'll have to be called up," Harris said. "If they're more important as a police office protecting a water reservoir, then they'll be left there."