The clock is ticking for New Bedford city officials to determine the future of Fire Station No. 9.

 

The station on Ashley Boulevard covers six schools, an airport and thousands of homes. But as the city faces a $32 million budget deficit, its future remains unclear.

 

Mayor Jon Mitchell proposed closing the station and cutting fire department positions as a way to save money, saying the city can no longer afford to staff nine companies at the current levels without addressing long-term healthcare and pension costs.

 

“Cities all throughout the state have been willing to take the steps that our city council has not been willing to take — adopting municipal healthcare reform — so that we could have sensible healthcare plans for our employees, ones that we can afford, as opposed to the Cadillac version that we have now,” Mitchell said. “We can do this. It’s very manageable.”

 

Meanwhile, the city council maintains that it’s not necessary to close Station 9.

 

“We’re going to keep pushing and showing that we have the funding for this budget,” Councilor at Large Shane Burgo told 12 News. “We are going to keep advocating and trying to work with this administration. This council has always been one that wants to work collaboratively with this administration.”