The Westbrook City Council will vote next week on budget adjustments caused by a significant amount of public safety overtime costs.

Between police, fire, and dispatch at Westbrook Public Safety, the city is projecting to spend $340,000 in overtime costs above what was included in the fiscal year 2014-15 budget. The fire department was budgeted $280,000 for overtime this year, but is slated to spend $480,000.

This fiscal year ends June 30, 2015.

At a City Council Finance Committee meeting Monday, City Administrator Jerre Bryant laid out the expenditures and said the city would be using some higher-than-expected revenues to “balance the books.” Those revenues include excise taxes and building permits.

For Westbrook, overtime costs are nothing new. In the spring of 2013, Michael Pardue, then director of public safety, said about one-third of his fire staff had been out on sick or medical leave throughout the year, accounting for increases in overtime. That year, the department’s overtime budget was $225,000, and by the end of the year, more than $500,000 had been spent.

For fiscal year 2013-14, fire department overtime was budgeted $250,000, and $581,000 was spent.

For the fiscal year 2014-15 budget, the city funded four new full-time positions at the fire department, with the goal to cut down on overtime costs. Firefighters typically work on shifts of 24 or 12 hours. When one person calls out sick, the entire shift must be covered, increasing the overtime budget quickly.

However, Bryant said, all new firefighters require at least three months of training, meaning they were unable to work regular shifts. He said the department is hoping to begin noticing the relief in overtime costs soon.

“They are now working regular shifts, so we’re expecting to see a positive impact on overtime in the second half of the fiscal year,” he said.

Councilor John O’Hara was not so optimistic. Speaking of the total public safety overtime budgets, O’Hara said it exceeded more than other city departments’ entire budgets.

“It’s starting to get out of hand again,” he said. “I don’t know if it was ever in hand to begin with.”

“What are we doing to help the situation, other than fund it more?” asked Councilor Victor Chau.

Bryant said that during collective bargaining negotiations last year, changes allowed the city to better utilize per-diem staff in filling overtime slots. The department may be adding more per-diem staff to combat overtime.

However, Mayor Colleen Hilton said each department has been “plagued” by long-term absences, with contractual language that doesn’t allow the department to replace the position.

Bryant said when there is a long-term illness or injury within a department, the position can be filled temporarily. However, if the staff member intends to come back, whether it is in six months or a year, no replacement will be hired.

Nonetheless, Hilton said, the city still has “work to do” during labor negotiations. While the fire department’s contract runs through next year, police and dispatch will be discussed this spring.

On Wednesday, Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte said he’ll be working on an analysis of the department’s overtime during the next month, which he’ll present to the City Council.

He said the bottom line, however, is that the union contract stipulates a minimum staffing requirement.

“We have to meet that obligation of a nine-man minimum staffing,” he said. “This is a current issue not just in Westbrook.”

He said reducing overtime expenditures is a goal, whether it’s done by adding staff or reducing services.

“We’ll work with the city and the council to do what we have to do to achieve those levels,” he said.

The base annual wage for a firefighter starts at roughly $36,300. An eight-year firefighter/paramedic makes $48,300. An eight-year police patrol officer has an annual salary of $49,800. The standard overtime wage is time and a half.

Significant overtime costs are also a recurring issue in neighboring municipalities of Portland and South Portland, Bryant said. In 2013, a consultant was hired to help Portland find ways to combat almost $2 million in overtime.

Councilor Michael Foley asked his fellow councilors to keep in mind that the fire department has dealt with a number of significant structure fires this year. Westbrook crews have battled fires at Sappi Fine Paper and Dolley Brook Condominiums, as well as homes on East Bridge and Myrtle streets.

“When there is a significant structure fire, it’s all hands on deck,” he said. “While this is a scary number, this is about the public safety of our community. It’s not frivolous spending, these are folks doing work.”

Police department overtime is up $90,000, while dispatch services is up $50,000. Bryant said dispatch is difficult due to a small staff (nine), and that the department has struggled to maintain a per-diem staff to cover shifts.

Bryant said the growth in certain revenues signifies economic growth for the city.

“The two categories where our revenues are strongest are the two categories that relate directly to economic activity,” he said. “Auto excise tax does not increase unless people come here to buy new cars.”

The city is projecting to come in $300,000 above what was budgeted in excise tax revenue.

He said other revenues, such as building permits, are indicators of development, growth and construction.

Councilor Gary Rairdon said that while the news of high revenues is good, it’s “too bad” the city has to use the increased revenue on high expenditures.

“If we can get this under control, this would be all in the black for us,” he said.

The City Council will discuss and vote on whether to approve the budget adjustments at the upcoming council meeting on Monday, Feb. 2.