Monday was the last chance to restore funding to city departments before the Lincoln City Council formally adopted a budget, and for the second time in a month, the fire department budget led to a clash between council members.

Before it was over, Councilman Jon Camp called for an apology from Councilman Jonathan Cook and threatened to seek that Cook be censured by the council — although no such provision exists in city code, according to the city attorney.

The latest fire department flareup was ignited when Cook made a motion to restore $100,000 that Republicans on the council, led by Camp, cut from the fire department budget earlier this month.

The department’s tax-funded budget would still be about $360,000 more than its current budget, although a large chunk of that increase will be used to pay for previously negotiated salary increases.

Cook said the cut undermines public safety for no reason and accused Camp of being motivated by a vendetta against the fire department, recounting controversial statements Camp has made over the years about firefighters and the fire department.

Cook said he doubted fire officials in other cities — such as Minneapolis, where rescue workers recently responded to a major bridge collapse — endure the kind of criticism Lincoln’s do. He asked: Were they accused of having too many workers on site? Spending too much on overtime? Putting in too many workers’ compensation claims?

“I doubt that he was getting that kind of hassle,” Cook said of the Minneapolis fire chief.

Instead of being proud of Lincoln’s specially trained team of firefighters who respond to national emergencies, Cook recounted Camp’s accusation last year that firefighters had tried to “elevate themselves” by exaggerating their role at Ground Zero after Sept. 11.

“I think it’s part of an effort to turn heroes into villains and pick, pick, pick at a fire department that two studies have shown is a very efficient department,” Cook said. “It’s time to end these attacks on the fire department.”

In return, Camp accused Cook of twisting his words, trying to get media attention and “trying to cause alarm in our citizens.” He said Lincoln has a good fire and ambulance service, but could do better and needs to be “fiscally prudent.”

“I’m tired of your tirades,” Camp said. “And if you don’t cease with this, I’m going to ask our colleagues to censure you because you’ve gone too far.”

He then called on Cook to apologize to him and the citizens of Lincoln.

After the meeting, while Camp was being interviewed by the Journal Star, Cook approached and Camp became angry, calling him a “mouthpiece for the fire union” and saying, “get a life” before stalking away.

It doesn’t appear Camp will be getting an apology from Cook, who said, “I don’t owe him an apology. He owes the men and women of the fire department an apology for constantly defaming them.”

Councilman Doug Emery — who was elected in the spring — tried to douse the fire during the City Council meeting, saying, “There’s gotta be a better way for us to discuss this,” and then jokingly offering his services as a boxing referee.

Cook’s motion to restore the money failed by a 3-4 vote, with Republicans voting “no” and Democrats “yes.”

Democrats were also unable to convince the Republicans to restore funding to keep the local women’s commission alive.

Former County Commissioner Jan Gauger and former Mayor Helen Boosalis — who signed legislation creating the Lincoln-Lancaster Women’s Commission 30 years ago — attended the meeting and lobbied the council to restore funding.

Along with approving a budget, the council also approved water and sewer rate increases of 7 and 9 percent respectively, as well as annual health department fee increases of about 6 percent for everything from open burning permits to “body art establishment” permits.

The average residential water and sewer bills will increase by $1.23 each per month. The new rates will go into effect in February.

The water and sewer rate increases will cover operational and maintenance costs, help bring water and sewer service to new areas and provide revenue for bonds that fund the city’s capital improvement program. City officials said the city’s water and sewer rates are still well below most cities’.

Only Cook voted against the rate increases, saying they were a “very significant increase” that homeowners will pay, in part, to run water and sewer lines to new developments. It would have cost less to restore the Women’s Commission or senior programs, he said. He was outvoted, 6-1.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.