IRON MOUNTAIN — Iron Mountain will hire four additional full-time firefighters if the city can secure a grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The city has applied for the funding from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, which pays 100% of the costs for additional fire personnel for three years, City Manager Jordan Stanchina said.

The grant would fill a vacancy created by a recent retirement, plus add three new full-time positions to replace part-timers, Stanchina told the city council Monday.

After discussing the application at a committee meeting, the city elected to apply for four positions, leaving its current staffing at six full-timers until awards are announced this summer.

“There is some additional overtime that will occur by leaving a position open, but three years of 100% funding would be worth the gamble,” Stanchina said.

Although part-time employees are less expensive, it has been difficult to maintain an adequate number, he added.

If the funding comes through, firefighters would be informed that three of the positions are guaranteed for three years but after that the grant would have to be renewed or a new funding source found to continue.

Regardless of the grant, the city expects to return to having at least seven full-timers on its staff in the future.

Adjustments in the SAFER grant program have made it a more attractive option for long-range planning, said Ed Mattson, director of police and fire services.

“It’s competitive,” he said of the application process. “It’s worth a shot.”

According to FEMA, the program’s purpose is to help communities meet minimum industry standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

In other action, the city council:

— Accepted a proposal from Kleiman Pump and Well Drilling of Iron Mountain to replace a failed motor in one of the city’s four municipal wells at a cost of up to $29,799. Competitive bidding will be bypassed, as Kleiman is the only company in the region doing these types of projects and the motors are in short supply. “It seems expensive, but it needs to get fixed,” Stanchina said. The actual cost may be lower, as the proposed price is a “worst-case scenario,” he said.

— Approved a change in location for the SmokeUP Farms LLC marijuana growing and processing business, which will now initially use the former Iron Mountain Powersports building at 1804 N. Stephenson Ave. The business, whose principal owners are Sheila Julian and Alexandra Martin, also expects to use property at 619 Circle Drive. Site plans must still be approved. About $720,000 in improvements are planned at the Stephenson Avenue site, including equipment.

— Approved appointing Larry Walker to the Iron Mountain Planning Commission; and reappointing David Santi to the Board of Review, Walter Lakari to the Iron Mountain Housing Commission and James Petroff to the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Joint Sewage Board.