New Bedford Fire Station 9 is one step closer to staying open for the rest of the fiscal year, after state lawmakers finalized $1.3 million in funding that now awaits a Massachusetts Senate vote. The money would keep the station running after it had been slated to close this fall amid the city's broader budget crunch.
State Sen. Mark Montigny announced that the additional $1.3 million for Station 9 has been finalized, working with Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues to put together a $2.61 billion spending plan. The funding builds on an earlier $500,000 in state aid that Montigny had previously secured to keep the station open temporarily, according to 1420 WBSM. Montigny said more assistance is still urgently needed to stabilize public safety in New Bedford.
The funding traces back to a supplemental appropriations bill Gov. Maura Healey filed, which the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed as a $2.35 billion package on Wednesday, October 21, according to WBSM. That bill included a $2 million public-safety line item, of which Healey committed $1.3 million specifically to keeping Station 9 open. The supplemental budget now moves to the Senate, where a formal session is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, to take up the spending bill.
A Budget Crisis Forced the Station's Hand
The closure threat stemmed from New Bedford's $32 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year. Mayor Jon Mitchell had said Station 9 would close as part of budget cuts meant to address that gap. The New Bedford Light reports that under the mayor's proposal, the city would have eliminated 58 unfilled positions and laid off 34 people, for 92 positions total — part of broader layoffs and program cuts tied to the deficit, according to The New Bedford Light.
Station 9 reportedly costs $1.8 million annually to operate, per WPRI. Mitchell has said the state funding would buy his administration time to work with the City Council, unions and the Retirement Board on health care and pension reform, attributing the budget cuts to unrestrained health care and pension costs even as state aid remained flat.
Firefighters' Advocacy Gets Credit
Montigny praised New Bedford firefighters for their advocacy throughout the process, expressing appreciation for fire department personnel and the lifesaving work they do. He credited Local 841 President Billy Sylvia, Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts Secretary-Treasurer Billy Cabral, and the firefighters and their families for the advocacy that helped secure the funding.
The Healey-Driscoll administration would include the $1.3 million for the fire department in the supplemental appropriations bill, and, if approved, Mitchell committed to using the funds to keep Engine 9 in service.
Longer-Term Fix Still Uncertain
Gov. Healey has described the funding as one-time relief, and the state is weighing longer-term solutions to make sure fire departments statewide are well-resourced. One proposed fix would route New Bedford into the Municipal Public Safety Staffing Program, which currently covers just 10 eligible cities and helps them address police or fire staffing shortfalls. Fall River received $1.6 million from that same program last year, by comparison.
For New Bedford to receive ongoing support through that program, the city would need to be included again in next year's budget. For now, the fate of Station 9 hinges on the Massachusetts Senate taking up the spending bill in its scheduled Nov. 5 session.
