Also, voters OK fire district tab
By: Lauren Burgoon
WASHINGTON Under an anticipated agreement between the town and Board of Fire Commissioners, Mayor Dave Fried will discourage a township takeover of the Fire Department if the commissioners make a concentrated effort to get the department in order.
The mayor and commissioners are likely to solidify the six-month agreement this week, which gives the commissioners time to address problems within the department without fear of a township takeover.
Several fire commissioners acknowledge the fire district is facing growing problems. Rob Hutchinson, whose commissioner tenure ends in March, cautioned last year that the department is under financial pressures that could cause its budget to skyrocket. This year’s budget, which called for a 1-cent increase in the fire tax rate, was approved by residents Saturday by a vote of 356-243.
Since last year and since the mayor began studying a plan to separate fire and emergency medical services the fire operations have come under close scrutiny. Public criticism over the union’s contract terms, lack of a random drug testing policy and alleged poor financial oversight has grown in recent months.
A department acquisition by Washington would not be unthinkable. The process is relatively simple a citizens petition signed by about 350 residents would be submitted, a public forum would be held and the Township Council would consider and vote on the proposal.
But Mayor Fried announced Tuesday he will discourage any resident from moving forward with the petition for six months. The agreement partially was prompted by the addition of two new fire commissioners, Chuck Lynch and Joanne Lasky. Both have previous fire and EMS experience and bring knowledge Mayor Fried said could put the fire district on the road to recovery.
"I have every confidence the commissioners will give 100 percent on this," he said.
The agreement calls for a formal update of commissioners’ progress after six months. The commissioners will make a presentation to the Township Council sometime in August.
The main items Mayor Fried wants addressed are the implementation of random drug testing, which the commissioners recently approved; a portion of ambulance billing proceeds forwarded to the town, which bought the ambulance for the department; and possibly a plan for the Police Department to handle dispatch for fire and EMS calls if it would improve response time.
Fire Commissioner Mike McGowan has been the most forceful in his description of the fire district’s problems, citing poor leadership and calling the commissioner system ineffective. He has even publicly appealed for the town to take over the district.
Greg Zalenski also is among the fire commissioners who acknowledge problems with the district, but he said it can recover. He said the agreement with Mayor Fried begins a exhaustive examination of the fire district, its policies and its future.
"Everything is on the table soup to nuts," he said. "We’re looking to re-invent the fire district and to look at how we do things now and see what we can do better."
The "everything" up for discussion includes contract items for much-criticized holiday pay, shift schedules and perks for firefighters.
Jason Palmer, president of the local firefighters union, said the union will work with all sides in efforts to improve the Fire Department. He declined to elaborate.
The pact will not end previous discussion for Washington to assume EMS operations from the fire district by using per diem employees and cutting eight full-time EMS positions. An ad hoc committee set up by Mayor Fried is studying how best to implement the change and its work will continue in spite of the agreement.
Despite the promises of cooperation between groups and the expressed optimism from all sides, the agreement cannot prevent moves to take over the department during the next six months. Any resident can submit a petition to the Township Council regardless of the mayor’s support.
But Mayor Fried said he is appealing to all petitioners for patience, at least temporarily, while the fire commissioners get to work.
"As long as we are seeing progress and seeing things move in the right direction, we’ll work with them," he said.
The fire district’s approved $2.8 million budget calls for a penny increase in the fire tax rate, meaning the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $170,000 now will pay $459 in fire taxes, or $17 more than last year.
Fire commissioners have characterized the spending plan as a "bare-bones" and said the extra penny on the tax rate comes from unavoidable cost increases.
Officials said the recent controversy surrounding the fire district and its future helped fuel a larger-than-average voter turnout.
"We had just under 600 people vote," Mr. Hutchinson said Monday. "That’s phenomenal for a fire district election."
Even Mayor Fried expressed delight with the voter turnout.
"I’m happy when turnout is good," he said in a separate interview Monday. "I’m not against the budget. My concerns are with the fact that there are significant management irregularities (within the fire district)."
Managing Editor Rob Heyman contributed to this story.