Ann Arbor firefighters union president expresses concerns upon departure of fire chief

By Ryan J. Stanton Political Reporter

Posted on Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.

The president of the Ann Arbor firefighters union has issued a public response to the retirement of Fire Chief Dominick Lanza, saying he's disappointed by the chief's decision but understands Lanza has obligations to his family.

Matt Schroeder

"This most recent vacancy adds to the long list of Chiefs with very short tenures who could not meet the demands placed upon them by the City Administrator," Matt Schroeder wrote in a letter posted to AnnArbor.com's community wall.

Click here to read Schroeder's full letter, in which he expresses concerns about continued threats to the fire department's budget, closing of stations, and dwindling staff numbers.

Since 2002, there have been four appointed chiefs of the Ann Arbor Fire Department, as well as four interim chiefs, Schroeder said. As with any organization without consistent leadership, he said, the Ann Arbor Fire Department has suffered as a result.

City officials have no plans for replacing Lanza yet, said Mayor John Hieftje.

The City Council recently was presented with options for trimming nearly $1.2 million from the fire department's budget over the next two years. That includes eliminating up to 13 firefighter positions.

Click here to download the budget analysis.