HOWELL — The third annual memorial service for fallen firefighters was held on Oct. 1 at the Squankum Fire Company No. 1 as part of the dedication of a new memorial there to fallen firefighters. The event was sponsored by the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office.
A large crowd of firefighters, families and friends attended to see medals awarded to firefighters for extraordinary service in the line of duty.
The Medal of Supreme Sacrifice was awarded to Capt. Ronald Fitzpatrick, a volunteer firefighter and training officer with the Long Branch Fire Department who died in the line of duty on Dec. 6, 2003, when he suffered a heart attack while fighting a fire. Fitzpatrick was retired and a veteran of 27 years with the Newark Fire Department. He had been a senior instructor with the Monmouth County Fire Academy for 32 years.
The Medal of Supreme Sacrifice was also awarded to firefighter George D. Petrosky, volunteer fire police officer with the Matawan Fire Department, who died on Nov. 9, 2003, after suffering head injuries sustained the previous September, when he collapsed while directing traffic at the scene of an accident. Petrosky was a 50-year veteran and lifetime member of Midway Hose Fire Company No. 2, and held numerous offices including three years as chief.
municipal recreation complex. DiBella calls that potential purchase the “jewel in the crown” of Howell’s preservation efforts.
He said he believes that even if no recreation facilities are ever developed on the site, the acquisition was “absolutely necessary” in order to preserve the land and prevent single-family homes from being constructed in the area of the reservoir.
DiBella said that by the end of 2004 the township will have options contracted to preserve 1,000 acres of farmland. He said this is “historic, unprecedented in Howell’s history.”
DiBella noted that when he campaigned for his seat on the council, he and his fellow candidates promised people open space preservation. He said more evidence that he and his Republican colleagues are fulfilling their commitment not only to open space, but also to recreation needs, lies in Howell’s recent acquisition of the 40-acre Bonim tract near Bear Swamp Park. The land will be developed into soccer fields for the municipal soccer league.
He said the current Republican administration had the cutting of the township’s sports fields taken over by public works employees, thereby alleviating some of the economic burden from the parents whose fees support the various sports organizations. He said he will also work as mayor to curb residential development by continuing to keep the adoption of the township’s master plan a priority. If elected mayor, DiBella said, he will have an independent audit of all the township’s departments performed in order to determine if municipal offices are running efficiently and economically.
He said he will also work to put a hiring freeze in place in all township departments with the exception of the police department.
Said DiBella, “I’m of the opinion that government should run more efficiently, not bigger. The audit will tell what’s needed.”
Also, DiBella said he would work to update the township’s Internet Web site so that much of Howell’s business could be conducted on line, including applications and permits.
DiBella said he would also “continue to work to bring the right kind of business to Route 9 and Route 33.”
He said he will also work for further taxpayer relief by seeking to impose “infrastructure fees” against developers by “specifying dollars for roads and other infrastructure needs.”
The candidate noted that roads throughout town are being repaved for the first time in many years.
DiBella said he is ready to serve as mayor because he knows what is important to Howell families.
“I will continue staying the course and it will make for a better Howell,” he said.