NORWICH – The City of Norwich Common Council received a revised 2016 budget last week that, amidst further cuts across multiple departments, includes restoration of funds to the city’s fire department to prevent layoffs.

Revisions include the addition of a nearly $86,800 grant awarded through FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.

Although the initial SAFER grant awarded in July allowed the city more than $560,000 to pay three full-time firefighter positions, city officials questioned at the time how they would continue funding those positions after the grant expires. They accepted only a portion of the grant to continue funding one firefighter position for a two-year period in order to keep the department at 15 full-time employees for the time being.

Facing opposition from the community and the Norwich Firefighters Association, Mayor Joseph Maiurano announced late November that there would be no cuts to fire department staff at this time. The city’s initial proposal was to eliminate five part-time and four full-time positions by the start of the year.

Avoiding those cuts, however, means trimming the budget elsewhere. The city is looking at deeper reductions in most other departments, including an additional $54,000 cutback to regular and post employment personal services in the police department. Post employment services were also reduced by nearly $75,000 for fire department members.