DAPHNE, Ala. — City leaders at a work session Thursday discussed the main capital budget issue: needed firefighters and equipment for Station 1, located in Olde Towne Daphne, to be considered within the $950,985 available. Fire Chief Bo White had requested six firefighters, two per eight-hour shifts.

Barnette urged the council to provide the funds for public safety. She suggested they appropriate for personnel and operation costs — $192,000 within the current budget — and find other areas to cut in order to pay for equipment and building costs of about $519,000.

“It will cost half a million dollars for the equipment (required in a new station), but the volunteer firefighters have agreed to help with costs,” Scott said.

Kim Briley, finance director, reported that $238,000 of the general fund would remain, if all fire department appropriations were OK’d.

The city has $7.5 million in reserve; Alabama requires 10 percent, or $2.5 million here.

“Some things are flexible and some things aren’t,” Councilman Eric Nager said. “Ms. Barnette has made an excellent case that this is not flexible; if it has to come from the reserve or wherever, we must do it.”

A motion to suspend the rules to consider a $150,000 appropriation that would hire firefighters for Fire Station 1 failed in January without a second endorsement.

Barnette had expressed disappointment, having learned that the fire station — on the corner of Sixth Street and Belrose Avenue — is unmanned.

Though the station lacks full-time firefighters, there is some emergency response.

“Volunteers have always responded from that station, just not twenty-four, seven,” White said.

“It’s used for volunteer response and as a meeting hall,” he said.

Last month, there was question as to whether the city legally could staff the station, which is not Daphne property. White on Friday said the concern is a non-issue.

(Daphne Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni contributed to this report.)