Weston's fire department will no longer be staffed around the clock after City Council cut its paid staff from four firefighters to two.
City Council approved the layoffs Thursday night. The move is expected to save about $100,000 a year.
Mayor Julia Spelsberg says the decision wasn't easy but the Lewis County city can no longer afford to maintain the department at its current size.
The department also has several unpaid volunteers.
Weston is working with the Internal Revenue Service on a plan to pay $230,000 in back taxes and $60,000 in interest. In April, the IRS froze more than $152,000 of the city's assets.
The city also owes about $50,000 in back taxes to the state.
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It's a terrible shame that the fire department always takes the biggest hit. Hope that Weston can bolster it's volunteer program to provide equitable coverage for their town.