SPARKS — The city of Sparks is looking to pursue a $2.3 million federal grant to hire 11 additional firefighters. However, when City Council members voted to go after the grant Monday, they added some of their own terms: they can layoff firefighters.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has stipulated that cities receiving the grant cannot fire any firefighters as long as the federal dollars are paying the public safety paychecks. According to Sparks Fire Chief Andy Flock, this is a commitment the fire department cannot promise to keep.

“We are looking at a possible $300,000 deficit for fiscal year 2012,” Flock said.

Firefighter layoffs are one possibility to address the shortfall, Flock added.

The grant would pay 11 salaries and benefits for two fiscal years.

So the council has agreed to accept the grant with one condition — FEMA rescind its layoffs requirement. If FEMA does not agree to the council’s terms, the grant will be considered declined by the city.

According to a recent FEMA fact sheet, “No waivers will be granted for layoffs and SAFER grantees are prohibited against laying off any firefighters during the SAFER grant period of performance.”

The grant is called Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER.

Councilman Mike Carrigan raised concerns with the message the council would be sending to potential firefighter applicants.

“If this thing passes, we are willing to hire 11 firefighters then lay them off in two years, is that what I am hearing?” Carrigan asked Flock. “You have to look on the other side of the coin. If we can’t make $300,000, we are going lay off those people. How can you go out and hire people if you are going to fire them in two years?”

Both Flock and Sparks firefighter’s union chief Captain Kevin Cavanaugh said they are comfortable with the hire-then-fire scenario.

“It is very common in fire services to fire seasonal help,” Cavanaugh said. “This would be a good opportunity for someone just wanting to get their foot in the door. They would be brought on with that understanding.”

Flock agreed that there would be a waiting, and willing, pool of trained applicants for the jobs.

Sparks not only had to consider those competing for jobs, but also other cities competing for the same grant. Sparks fire Division Chief Tom Garrison pointed out that there were about 2,000 other cities waiting to hear if they could get any grant money.

“So far all I have done is negotiate extensions to the timeline,” Garrison said. “If I went back to negotiate, it would have to be an either or. We would get what we want or move out of it. I think the other thing that would not be in our favor is that there are almost 2,000 departments waiting to hear.”

Garrison will be sending a letter to federal grant administration officials asking for the terms to change for the city of Sparks. He has until July 31 to finalize and turn in all the necessary forms to FEMA and see if the agency will bend its rules for Sparks.