IRON MOUNTAIN — Help is on the way for the understaffed Iron Mountain Fire Department as two new full-timers will be added to reduce the amount of overtime needed for adequate coverage.

The city council approved the move last month to bring the full-time staff to nine. They learned Monday that Dan Martel and Louis Neilio had accepted the job offers with the department.

The department’s overtime costs in October totaled more than $24,000, with one captain alone logging 156 extra hours. The city has struggled to employ enough part-timers to keep the amount of overtime from climbing and this past month’s cost was up by more than $5,000 from a year ago.

City Manager Jordan Stanchina estimates the added cost of hiring the two full-timers in lieu of part-time slots will be $4,000 to $5,000 for the year.

The city will now operate with three crews, each working a 24-hour shift every third day. There will be three full-timers on each crew, plus one part-timer.

Martel has previously been a part-time firefighter and Neilio is a Navy veteran who has completed fire protection training at Fox Valley Technical College.

In other action, the city council:

— Heard Stanchina report the maximum inflation rate for taxable value increases in 2025 will be 3.1%, down from 5% this year. The inflation rate multiplier is determined by the Michigan Department of Treasury. More information can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/treasury/local/stc/bulletin/archive/stc/inflation-rate-multipliers.

— Accepted a donation from Dickinson Homes of swamp land on the south side of Walker Street and west of Forest Street. The parcel is generally not developable but it will be low maintenance and ownership will give the city control for any future use, Stanchina said. No comments were received during a public hearing. The taxable value of the parcel is listed at $5,295.

— Gave permission to Ethan and Alyssa Blagec to install a well and septic system at 1521 Grant St. for a new home. City staff has determined that, due to distance and elevation, there is no practical way of providing water or sewer services at this time. A city ordinance requires council permission for private wells.

— Accepted the low quote of $8,255 from Badger Auto of Niagara, Wis., to purchase and install a 9-foot, 2-inch BOSS XT V-plow and snow deflector for the city’s cemetery truck. It will be used in the cemetery as well as on newly paved alleys. Proposals were also received from Town and Country Ford in Quinnesec and R & R Tire Inc. in Iron Mountain.

— Approved the $7,493 purchase of a new Dominion Voting tabulator. The cost will be paid through a $17,900 elections expenses grant awarded through the Center for Tech and Civic Life. Council member Ken Clawson voted no.

— Approved a $17,689 payment to Bacco Construction Co. of Iron Mountain for an alley paving east of First National Bank & Trust, 233 S. Stephenson Ave. Bacco also will receive a $10,000 payment that had been retained from a separate paving contract until a puddling issue was corrected in the police and fire parking lot.

— Accepted the low quote of $16,916 from PJ Kortens & Co. of Appleton, Wis., to replace a variable frequency drive for a city well. B & B Electric of Iron Mountain also submitted a quote.

— Issued a reminder that City Hall will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29.

Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.