Full-time Butler firefighters hired with federal grant money can become part-time if the city can't afford to maintain those positions after the grant money runs out.

City Council on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 114, which represents city firefighters, that allows the city to change those positions to part-time.

“If the city can't sustain them, those position can revert to part-time,” Fire Chief Chris Switala said.

In September, council accepted a $622,500 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to hire up to four firefighters to bolster the 16-man fire department. The city must pay $238,623 in matching funds with $51,875 due in years one and two, and $134,875 in the third year of the grant.

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