WESTMINSTER : City to Discuss Audit of Fire Department

The City Council tonight will discuss an independent financial audit of the embattled Fire Department, which reportedly has allowed some firefighters to regularly collect $20,000 to $40,000 a year in overtime pay.

The audit, expected to be released today and discussed at the 7:30 p.m. council meeting, was prepared by the accounting firm of KMPG Peat Marwick, the same firm that completed an initial audit several months ago that revealed large amounts of overtime.

The audit is expected to play a major role in an already strained relationship between city leaders and the firefighters association, which supports a recall of the four council members who voted to overhaul the fire service.

The association has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit charging that officials punished top labor leaders for campaigning for the recall.

Between July 1 and Sept. 15, firefighters charged up to $283,000 in overtime, exhausting the $75,000 reserved for such wages in the 1993-94 budget.

Although firefighters have denied any wrongdoing, Paul Gilbrook, president of the firefighters association, was placed on administrative leave. He was subsequently fired for driving a firetruck with a suspended license and using sick leave improperly.

Spokesmen for the association have blamed the overtime situation on the City Council for failing to hire more firefighters.