Maple Valley Fire and Life Safety has found a way to balance the budget for 2010 and keep from laying off any staff, at least for one year.

Interim Fire Chief Brad Doerflinger had presented a budget to the District No. 43 fire commissioners Nov. 5 calling for staff reductions of one firefighter and one administrative assistant.

The district employees and the interim chief asked for an opportunity to present concessions to the board to avoid the layoffs.

Doerflinger worked with both the union and administrative staff and the two groups were able to come to an agreement that saved jobs and balanced the budget.

“There were concessions for all the staff,” Doerflinger said. “It was a good team effort by everyone involved.”

The firefighters union members were to receive a 2.5 percent raise in 2010, which the members will receive. But the members agreed to give back an equal dollar amount in benefits, which included a reduction in the health reimbursement account, elimination of the uniform allowance, college tuition reimbursement and a reduction in the amount of annual leave sold back by contract.

Doerflinger said the administrative staff agreed to a wage freeze and postponed the use of financial comparables with other districts, which settled the issue for that group.

The other cost saving measures include not replacing a retiring facilities manager and leaving Doerflinger as interim chief. Doerflinger was moved into the chief’s position after Chief Tim Lemon’s contract was not renewed in August.

The lean budget will keep the district balanced for 2010, but Doreflinger said if funds continue to fall, the district will be looking at further and possibly more difficult cuts for 2011.