Green Bay, Wis. (WFRV) - Talks are expected to resume Tuesday night over a possible merger between the Green Bay and Allouez Fire Departments.

It's a consolidation could save both communities hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Late last month, the Allouez village president sent a letter to Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.

In it, Steve Vandenavond expresses concerns over the city exploring hiring a public safety director, instead of having a separate police chief and a fire chief.

The village board has been under the impression a fire chief would be leading the effort in the merge..

"We've recommended to the village that they move forward however with the changes that are being explored within the city," Interim Fire Chief Neil Cameron says, "there's been some question at the board level in terms of some open issues that they'd like to have resolved."

Mayor Schmitt says he has assured the board, Allouez would answer to a separate fire chief.

"Our committment to Allouez is what we said we were going to do a year ago and that's that we will have a dedicated fire chief and that's who they will report to," Schmitt says, "that was their concern and I talked to them yesterday and everything should be fine."

Mayor Schmitt says the city is still researching the benefits of a public safety director, and training some officers in both police and fire, but those would be specific to Green Bay.

"We have to take the long view on this and we want to take a look around and see what else other municipalities are doing to provide the best services at the best price."

The Green Bay City Council approved the city's half of the contract back in August.

The Allouez Village Board is expected to take up the issue at its meeting Tuesday night at 6:30.