Proposed Budget Reduces Funds for Police, Fire Overtime

The Common Council introduced a 2010 municipal budget Tuesday night which includes cuts to the police and fire department budgets and carries a 2.5 percent tax levy increase.

Councilman and chair of the finance committee Rich Madden outlined the proposed budget, explaining that the $41,956,235 proposal has been achieved by asking department heads, primarily police and fire, to limit overtime expenses and by reducing the police department's budget for vehicle replacements.

"Virtually every family in town has already adjusted their individual budgets for economic reality," Madden said. "I hope you agree the public sector is attempting to do the same."

But not everyone did agree.

Police Chief Robert Lucid said that the budget appropriation for vehicle replacements would not even pay for the replacement of three vehicles, never mind the four he had requested.

Mayor Jordan Glatt said he is literally losing sleep over the proposed budget's reduction in overtime expenses in both the police and fire departments.

"We are putting our police and fire in an untenable position," Glatt said. "We're talking about cutting right in the core of what this city does. I think we're cutting in the wrong place to get there. As a mayor I do not support this budget based on that."

Glatt said a reduction in overtime hours despite a state mandate that fire departments need four firefighters to enter a building, would mean for 51 shifts there would not be enough men to go inside a building when a fire call comes in. The department would have to wait until mutual aid arrives on the scene to begin attacking the fire.

Fire Chief Joseph Houck also reiterated his comments from a previous budget workshop where he stated that the fire department's budget is already lean, operating with fewer firefighters than comparable departments nearby.

"That's just inappropriate for a town like Summit and it puts our town at risk," Glatt said. "I find that we're really putting our community and our men at jeopardy here."

Officer Michael Freeman, who also serves as the state delegate to PBA #55, said a similar situation exists in the police department. Two officers are required on scene when an arrest is being made. Freeman said if there are only three people on duty, then that arrest can't be made.

Freeman also reiterated comments he made to Summit Patch last week stating that without the replacement of two officers, the entire police department would have to be reorganized to cover patrol shifts. This would likely mean the end to the D.A.R.E program and many others. He also said cases would have to be prioritized, speed patrols would be reduced and some less important cases may be left unsolved.

"Yes, we're looking for lower taxes, but not at the expense of safety and doing things that we can't fix," resident Anton Evers said.

But resident Mike Gumport accused the mayor and several council members of fear-mongering.

"If that's fear-mongering so be it," Glatt said. "This is really dangerous to our community."

"Sometimes the truth is very fearful," Councilman Michael Vernotico added.

Council also voted to approve proposals by the FMBA and Teamsters to accept wage freezes and benefit givebacks; however council did not approve a similar proposal from the PBA which would have covered the bulk of the salaries for the two officer vacancies the department needs to fill.

"It's very disappointing," Freeman said after the meeting.

However, council met in executive session after the meeting and City Administrator Chris Cotter said the approval of the FMBA and Teamsters contract modifications was contingent upon the city's labor attorney's review of the wording.

There will be a public hearing on the proposed budget June 15. The budget document provided by the city is attached.

Stay tuned to Summit Patch for more details on the union contracts.