VALPARAISO | The city's Fire Department is ready to deal with the potential manpower shortage should the flu sweep through the ranks.

Fire Chief David Nondorf got approval Thursday from the city's Board of Public Works and Safety for a temporary alteration in the agreement with the firefighters union that would allow a reduction in the minimum manpower levels required in the union contract for each station.

"You can't burn out your work force in the first month," Nondorf said of the possible consequences of having firefighters work extra shifts during an outbreak. "This is just preparation to give us an option."

Mayor Jon Costas said the city has not experienced any significant reductions in employees because of illness yet.

The board also approved the construction plans for the installation of decorative lighting on Lincolnway. The work involves putting 40 of the lights between Joliet Road and Napoleon Street and 31 between Morgan Boulevard and Roosevelt Road. City Engineering Director Tim Burkman said the installation will extend the kind of lighting already on Lincolnway from Napoleon to Morgan.

The city has a $625,000 federal transportation enhancement grant that will pay 80 percent of the cost of the project, and the rest will be funded by the city's Redevelopment Commission. Instead of the halide lights used for the downtown lamps, the new lights will use the more energy efficient LED lights.

Burkman said the project is scheduled for a May bid letting by the Indiana Department of Transportation with construction to begin in July, but he said the city is pushing to have that schedule moved up a couple of months.