Politics & Government

Fire Chief Details 'Crippling' Cuts

Fire Chief Joseph Houck outlines what an additional $252,760 in cuts would mean for the fire department at second budget meeting.

Fire Chief Joseph Houck outlined Thursday night $252,760 in what he says would be "crippling" cuts to the fire department.

Police officers, firefighters and concerned residents packed the Whitman Community room Thursday night as both Police Chief Robert Lucid and Houck explained the impacts of the additional cuts requested by common council at the first budget workshop in order to keep the tax levy increase at or below 2 percent.

Houck said that while his department is already very "lean," these budget reductions would force him to layoff firefighters Tom Kirkland, Mike Mammone, and Brian Harnois, demote Lts. Eric Evers, Pail Imbimbo and Jeff Hudkins, demote Battalion Chiefs Richard Locke, Wayne Smith and Donald Nelson and reassign Deputy Chief Richard Degroot to a platoon and firefighter Ken Jenks to fire prevention.

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"Basically crippling what we do everyday," Houck said.

Houck compared Summit to similarly sized neighbors, such as Ridgewood, Westfield and Millburn, to show that the city's platoon sizes are already the smallest in the area at five firefighters.

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But the potential layoffs have farther-reaching effects on the city, Houck said.

These staff reductions will end the Millburn/Summit Fire Department shared services study, could result in Millburn pulling out of the joint dispatch center resulting in a loss of $170,000 in revenue, and would discontinue the simultaneous dispatch of automatic aid.

"They are getting a little worried wondering if the Summit fire department is the kind of partner that they're ready to partner with," Houck said.

Donald Nelson, a 49-year resident and one of the firefighters who would be effected by the staff reductions was visibly choked up when addressing the council.

"I put my life on the line for you," he said. "That's what my job means to me."

Chief Lucid gave a similar scenario for the police department involving three possible options to reach $180,000 in additional cuts in the police department.

With currently 48 officers, 25 of which are on patrol, Lucid outlined three options to achieve the savings:

  • Eliminate all 27 crossing guards for a $201,000 salary and uniform savings
  • Layoff three additional police officers in addition to not filing a vacancy left open after a retirement in June for a savings of $215,000
  • Layoff two police officers, one dispatcher and one crossing guard for a $184,000 savings

"I believe this suggested reduction in the core police function is unwise and wrought with far-reaching implications for the future of the city," Lucid said.

The department responded to 24,000 calls in 2008, Lucid said, including calls for burglary, robbery, rape, sexual and physical assault.

"All those things occur in Summit, New Jersey," Mayor Jordan Glatt said. "Whether the residents want to believe it or not."

Police Officer Michael Freeman also made references to several years ago when Summit had what he calls an "open air drug market" downtown. Less police officers, he said, would mean more crime in the city again.

"I think its naïve to think we could make drastic cuts to each department without some impacts," said Councilman Michael Vernotico.

Suggestions for other possible solutions were union employees voluntarily reducing their pay raises from 3.8 percent to 2 percent. Council president Dave Bomgaars said council would look into these options before making any final decisions on layoffs.

"It's fine to save money and we need to find ways to save money but we don't need to find ways to save money at the cost of lives and safety and at the cost of firing people," said 69-year resident Anton Evers. "I'm not a rich man but I'm willing to pay whatever I have to pay to keep the services that we have."

The next council meeting is scheduled for March 16 and the next budget workshop is tentatively set for March 25 at 6:30 p.m.


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