One city official is taking a strong tone over the fiscal troubles facing the municipality.

“We’ve completely cut off overtime wherever possible,” Dunkirk’s Department of Public Works chief said Monday.

Randy Woodbury also warned the city council’s Finance Committee that Dunkirk must be careful where it cuts as it faces a budget crisis. “It’s important not to get behind on maintenance” at the water and wastewater treatment plants, he said. “If we upset the wastewater plant we could be looking at millions of dollars in fines.”

As for the water plant, Woodbury noted, “We got consent orders (from the state) because we were deferring maintenance.” The city did millions of dollars of upgrades and Woodbury said they should be maintained properly.

The DPW director advocated doing work “in-house” whenever possible. He listed the numerous skills of the deputy director, Michael Przybycien.

Woodbury also responded to an OBSERVER editorial that stated the city should consider cutting its Fourth of July fireworks, as part of a general belt-tightening in rough financial times. That proposal was clearly a dud with him.

“The Fourth of July celebrates a country that fought for positive things,” he said. “The city’s winning this war.”