ROCK FALLS – The city’s fire department received permission Tuesday night to hire four paid on-call firefighters.

Also Tuesday night, City Administrator Robbin Blackert gave council members a copy of an 80-page study analyzing whether money could be saved by combining Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments and CGH EMS services.

Sterling City Council members heard the presentation from Texas-based Matrix Consulting Monday night. Among other findings, consultant Robert Finn told Sterling aldermen that combining the two fire departments and CGH EMS services would not save money.