By Noah Alcala Bach
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. 鈥� A committee that exists to settle disputes between the Albuquerque City Council and mayor鈥檚 office has ruled in favor of Tim Keller鈥檚 administration, rolling back a bill that would have upheld staffing provisions preferred by the local firefighters鈥� union.
The policy, which passed the council on a 7-2 vote in March, would have required that two paramedics be on board an ambulance when responding to rescue calls instead of a proposed Albuquerque Fire Rescue policy that would have a firefighter with basic Emergency Medical Technician training take the place of one of the fully-trained paramedics.
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But the decision via a 2-1 vote on Monday from the three-person Intragovernmental Conference Committee (ICC) effectively overruled the policy passed by council and allows AFR to proceed with its proposed staffing change. In its ruling, the ICC found that the council does not have the authority to specify staffing requirements.
鈥淥ur Charter outlines in plain language the clear separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches,鈥� Keller said in a statement. 鈥淭his decision affirms the legal authority of the Mayor as the executive to staff our departments with highly skilled and experienced professionals.鈥�
The issue sparked rifts on two fronts, increasing tensions between the Keller administration and the council, and also AFR leadership and the local firefighters鈥� union.
In addition to an overwhelming vote in support of the measure, the bill鈥檚 sponsors crossed the political aisle to introduce the policy, with Conservative Northwest City Councilor Dan Lewis and Downtown Democrat Councilor Joaqu铆n Baca partnering up on the legislation.
鈥淚nstead of working with our firefighters and medics to address critical staffing needs, this Mayor chose to take them to court,鈥� Lewis wrote in a statement. " The City Council simply approved a staffing amendment based on recommendations from medics in the field and supported by real data showing it will improve public safety.鈥�
Baca said he couldn鈥檛 comment on the decision because the mayor鈥檚 office filed a case in district court before going to the ICC to settle the dispute.
鈥淲e hope this is an opportunity for the mayor to actually collaborate with labor and with us, so those that work on our streets, protect the public, are heard, instead of ignoring them and trying to force it down our throat,鈥� Firefighters鈥� Union President, Miguel Tittmann, said.
He added that he worries the staffing changes are 鈥済oing to dilute the ideal鈥� response that could be provided by firefighters and paramedics.
For her part, AFR Chief Emily Jaramillo said she wanted to 鈥渞eaffirm to the public鈥� that the staffing changes are an attempt to improve services provided.
鈥淢y job as the chief is to make sure that the decisions that we鈥檙e making are best for the public, and to try to ... take the politics out of it, because everything is so political these days,鈥� Jaramillo said.
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