NORWICH – The agenda for Thursday’s Finance and Personnel committee meeting was heavier than usual, with a plethora of items under discussion. Overtime rates at the fire department were at the top of the list.

“I’ve been watching the overtime closely,” said acting Fire Chief Joe Angelino. “I thought I would have good news to report from the fire department at the six month mark.” Despite internal changes that have been made at the department in scheduling to reduce the amount of overtime,it is now running above average.

On Jan. 23, Superior Ambulance Service announced it would be cutting a portion of its operations in the Chenango County area. Superior went from three ambulances from the county to only one, and the burden those cuts leave behind is falling primarily on the shoulders of the Norwich City Fire Department.

Angelino explained with Superior cutting back its services, the NFD is increasing the number of ambulance calls it responds to outside of the city and contractual first responder areas – the towns of North Norwich, Norwich and Plymouth.