(KLZA) -- City Council members voted 7-1 to keep two paid drivers in the Falls City Fire Department.  Casting the lone vote to delete one driver was Council Person Judy Murphy.  

Current driver Ralph Gilkerson has decided to retire leaving Ken Simpson as the only current full-time driver.  City Administrator Gary Jorn explained the Management Committee has recommended cutting from one paid fire department driver to one and having Ken Simpson work an 8-hour shift Monday through Friday. Jorn went on to suggest that when Simpson eventually retires, the department would at that time go to a strictly volunteer department with no paid drivers. 

Currently the budget for the Falls City Volunteer Fire Department is $185,000, of which 85-percent is for labor.

Part-time driver and First Assistant Fire Chief Jon McQueen asked about the future status of part-time drivers being paid if the recommendation was approved.  He noted that making a change in the number of drivers could affect insurance rates for Falls City residents. 

Fire Chief Ken Simpson admitted a cut in drivers about a decade ago did not create the problems he anticipated. Currently there are 56 hours a week when there is not a paid driver on duty.  Under the proposal that time would have at least doubled and Simpson predicted problems in the future. 

Simpson said he viewed the proposal as the city taking a step back and not progressing as the City touts itself  on. 

About 10 members of the current Falls City Volunteer Fire Department attended the meeting.