Many of you remember my posts a month or so back, when we first heard about my husband's potential lay off from the fire dept. here in town. The city had a HUGE (like 6.5 million!) deficit in their budget for 2010 and thought the only way to compensate was to let go 80 city employees, mainly firemen and policemen.
I'm still a little angry just typing that.
Since then, we've heard a zillion rumors. First, he was for sure laid off. Then he wasn't. Then it was a maybe. Then the other day, we heard that the mayor had devised a plan to draw funds from a different budget, something to do with our city's casino revenue, I believe, and that all the jobs would be saved.
Well, our city council - the same members who once looked into the TV via news camera and swore they'd do everything they could to save our firemen and policemen - voted "no, we better not, that's too risky".
So now the official word is, 80 city jobs WILL be laid off, including that of 6 policemen and 18 firemen - 8 from the line, and 10 who were in the current training academy. Yes, that's better than the initial number of firemen's jobs being cut, but to those 18 who are getting booted, its not much better at all.
My husband is going into a meeting at 9:00 to be given the details, and we're all pretty sure it's a meeting for the 8 who will be laid off. That's speculation, but...it makes sense. We'll see. It's not his fault, he's just a victim of the "last hired, first fired" mindset which I suppose is only fair.
I would like to give a thank you to the three council members who did actually try to postpone the vote and buy more time for our men - but for the rest of you, well...I'll just stop now. You'll all realize your mistake next time there is a big city emergency and you're painfully short on manpower and our city's once-excellent, Class 1 response time rating sinks to the dirt because a station closed.
I'm really not as bitter as I might sound! I know God has a plan, and sometimes His plan includes opening doors and giving us a little shove through it. I'd much rather be led through a door I wouldn't have normally chosen and it be God's will, then choose a second door and be outside of His plan. Anyone with me?? =)
After 9 o'clock today, my husband will probably be without a job, and that's not much of a Merry Christmas gesture. BUT...I have complete faith that God will provide something else and that will be an amazing Christmas gift when it happens. God has already blessed our socks off this past week in a way only He could have done, and so I will trust His provision this week as I did last week.
I will NOT key the council member's cars...I will NOT key the council member's cars... haha. J/k.
Sort of.
6 comments:
I still think they should take the $$ from the casinos and pay the firemen. After all, the Bible says something about the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous. Hee hee.
Praying for you. God's peace over you both right now. What an example of faith you've been! God surely sees your hearts and how you want to be totallly inline with His plan. I believe He wouldn't close off this door to you without having something much, much better planned.
thanks G!!
Waiting to see what God will do with this change in your plans. His plan is perfect, and He will come through for you in unexpected and glorious ways.
Cuz He promised He would.
Hey! I am Elena Bernth, I anonymously commented on your post when you 1st wrote about the fire dept. layoffs in October. My husband, Robert, is on BCFD as well and I am a sahm to a 15 mo baby boy. You had told me to email you but I never had the chance to.
I havent checked your blog lately but wanted to check it tonight to see if you had posted anything about the fire dept jobs. I am so very sorry that your husband is being laid off. My husband was origionally on the layoff list but thankfully that has changed. Words cannot express how sorry I am that you are having to go through this. Like I said before, I admire your optimism and strength.
I cannot believe the Mayor and city council, it makes me so sick to think of what these people have done to the lives of so many firefighters and police officers, as well as the other city employees, especially at this time of year. I was so angry and hurt when I thought my husband was going to be laid off and when I read your post, it gave me the optimism and strength to get through that awful time. I just hate that you are having to go through this. Just know that you and your family has been and will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers. If there is anything that we can do to help, please let us know.
I will by praying for you guys!
Thanks so much, guys. And thank you Elena!! I'm sooooo glad you made it off the lay off list. What a blessing!!! =) I know God will take care of us. Apparently, we are meant to do something different and you guys are meant to stay where you are! I am confident this will work for our good and God's glory. Sometimes you just need a little shove through a door you wouldn't otherwise take. My offer to email still stands, Elena! Anytime =)
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