As Butler heads to arbitration with the union representing its fire department, the city has hired a consulting firm to evaluate the fire department’s operation.

Municipal Fire Consulting of New Castle analyzes all aspects of a fire department’s operation, ranging from spending and staffing to training practices and management.

Butler City Council voted Thursday night to hire the firm, based on the recommendation of the labor attorney representing the city in its contract negotiations with the fire department, police department and nonuniformed city union employees.

The city’s contracts with all three unions expired Dec. 31 and each has been operating under the provisions of their former contract until new, three-year agreements can be forged.

According to city solicitor Jim Coulter, Pittsburgh attorney Mike Palombo wanted information for use in the city’s arbitration talks with the firefighters union.

Municipal Fire Consulting will be paid $6,100 for the study that will be done by Feb. 28. Coulter said the money is in the city’s budgeted funds for collective bargaining.

The study was not discussed at the city council’s meeting Tuesday night, and Fire Chief Nick Ban said the city fire department received “very little” notice about it.

According to Jim Kaufman, president of the city firefighters union, the department has requested an arbitration hearing with the city, but no date has been set.

The city police department already has had an arbitration hearing.