* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Welch
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Private Sponsorship of Fire Trucks
FOR the purpose of calling on the Administration and the Fire Department to explore how to best recruit private sector sponsors for the City's fire trucks in order to provide the Fire Department with the resources it needs to maintain its current level of services for Baltimore.
body
Recitals
Over the last few years, nationwide economic difficulties have forced the City of Baltimore to grapple with declining revenues by making many difficult budgetary decisions. One of the most difficult of those decisions was the institution of a policy of rotating closures of fire companies. For the coming fiscal year, faced with a continuing budget gap of $48 million and projections of increasing shortfalls in future cycles, the administration has recommended the permanent closure of 3 fire companies and a cut of roughly $5.67 million from what the Fire Department estimates it would need to continue services at current levels.
Each of these fire companies consists of a fire truck and its staff. Other jurisdictions have in the past had some success in keeping fire trucks in service by inviting the private sector to contribute to the trucks' cost in exchange for recognition of their support in a display on the vehicle. This sort of sponsorship of City activities in exchange for advertising space and positive publicity has also been approved by Baltimore's Ethics Board under certain circumstances for other City agencies.
The possibility of recruiting private sector sponsors for City fire trucks, an approach that has proven to be successful elsewhere, should be fully explored here in Baltimore. These sponsorships would likely be attractive investments for many companies looking to build goodwill in our communities, and could go a long way toward filling the current gaps in the Fire Department's budget.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls on the Administration and the Fire Department to explore how to best recruit private sector sponsors for the City's fire trucks in order to provide the Fire Department with the resources it needs to maintain its current level of services for Baltimore.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Fire Chief, the Finance Director, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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