City's Reserve Fund Used For Tulsa Fire Department Loan

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- The economy in crisis has just about depleted the reserve fund, but the Tulsa mayor's office says it won't be wiped out by a loan to the fire department.

On Thursday, the mayor's office is defending the status of the city's reserve fund - in particular that it's helping the fire department with budget cuts. And there's word of an additional cut in the mayor's staff.

It's in part the money the city uses for extraordinary work, like snow plowing after a major storm. But this year, fire department will get a piece of the reserve fund.

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett pledged the money as a way to help the department realize long term savings through a reorganization of the upper ranks.

The reserved money - up to $2.5 million - will go the fire department, which will replenish the reserve fund with savings from thinning out the ranks.

See Fire Department Savings Figures

Fire Chief Allen LaCroix says the department will have more than enough savings to refill the reserve.

"With the reorganization we're doing, we will have an annual savings for the general fund of $2.1 million dollars," said Tulsa Fire Chief Allen LaCroix.

In June of last year, the city's reserve fund balance was $13 million. At the end of the year, it was down to $2.5 million, and now it's down to about $1.4 million dollars.

Some city councilors worry the reserve fund will be tapped out if the city has a major unexpected expense. They've also called on the mayor to make more cuts in his own staff's budget.

2/3/2010 Related Story: Mayor Dewey Bartlett's Office Over Budget, City Councilors Learn

On Thursday, the mayor's office announced that Chief of Staff Terry Simonson will take a pay cut, along with the mayor.

Mayor Bartlett makes $105,000 a year and will take an 8.5% cut, while Chief of Staff Terry Simonson makes $150,000 a year and will take a 5% cut.

Mayor Bartlett planned to discuss his budget with the City Council on Thursday night but was not on the agenda in time, The News On 6 learned.

Read The News Release On Mayor's Budget & Reserve Fund